Penguin in box causes helicopter crash in South Africa  

The accident happened in January, but officials have now explained what went wrong.

Four people, including the pilot, were flying in the helicopter as part of a survey.

One of the passengers asked to take a penguin back to Port Elizabeth.

The pilot agreed, and the penguin was placed in a cardboard box with holes which was held by a passenger on his lap during takeoff.

The box slipped as the helicopter lifted off the ground, and hit the pilot’s controls.

The aircraft tilted to one side and the pilot couldn’t stop it from crashing. It was flying about 15 metres above the ground at the time.

The helicopter was badly damaged, but there were no casualties including the penguin.

An official report from South Africa’s aviation authority said the crash happened because the penguin was not properly secured. The box was not tied down or stored safely.

“The moment that box moved, it became a real danger. It shouldn’t have been there like that,” the report said.

Photos in the report show the wrecked helicopter and the cardboard box used to carry the penguin. The report did not say why the penguin was being moved.