Cameron Dalziel and wife Reine. Photo: Facebook
On Thursday, July 17, surface-to-air missiles downed Malaysia Airlines flight 17 as the passenger plane flew over a presently embattled region of Ukraine. According to a report by STAB magazine, South African surfer Cameron Dalziel was among those who perished in the tragedy. Dalziel was a native of Umhlanga Rocks, a tight-knit surf community just north of Durban. A pilot for CHC Helicopters, he had relocated to Malaysia just last year, and was traveling home after attending a conference in Amsterdam. This comes in the wake of the 2014 J-Bay Open, regarded as a complete success by contest directors and athletes alike, marking South Africa’s proud return to the ASP world tour.
While a full investigation is still underway, United States President Barack Obama has announced his suspicions that Russia-backed separatists were to blame, and that there was a possibility they had tampered with the crash scene. He also suggested that Russia played a heavy hand in arming the rebels with anti-aircraft weapons. Russia has since denied all of these suspicions. Separatists have also denied playing any part in the tragedy; they assert that Ukraine and its western allies have fabricated so-called “evidence” in this on-going investigation.
The community of Umhlanga Rocks is reeling from their loss. Dalziel’s brother-in-law, Shane Hattingh, explained to Eye Witness News that, “[Cameron] has been flying choppers all over the world and been away from his family for about 10 years and they finally just all moved to Malaysia to be together and run an operation out there.” Dalziel’s untimely passing, said Hattingh, has taken a major toll on his sister, Dalziel’s wife Reine, who is dealing with the tragedy far from her family and friends.
In an interview with Sky News, Dalziel’s brother Campbell shared sibling’s selflessness: “From an early age he always believed in helping people you know, and encouraging people from being a lifeguard on the beach to flying helicopters. He was part of the sea rescue team. He never ever wanted recognition just you know he enjoyed it. He loved doing it. If he didn’t love it he wouldn’t do it.”
Paul ‘Skin’ Van De Wall, a member of the Umhlanga surf community, also remembered Dalziel as a person’s person, telling STAB:
“Cameron was for many years a part of the Umhlanga beach community, being a regular member of the voluntary lifeguard movement and a member of Umhlanga Surf Lifesaving Club. His interest in helicopters was spawned when he was one of the first swimmer lifeguards to be deployed on the sponsored John Rolfe Rescue helicopters. His status as a top aviator has been recognised by the NSRI, having been involved in many dangerous ocean rescues, including the tsunami disaster in Thailand.”
Dalziel will be remembered for his passion in helping others. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends.
