In amidst this doom and gloom, it gives me great pleasure to be able to post upbeat items such as this ... and to add my own congratulations to Captain Hagan and his crew.
From The Scotsman:
Scots pilot honoured for saving 398 passengers
John Staples
A SCOTTISH pilot who fought off a passenger who tried to hijack the airliner he was flying will receive a prestigious bravery award today.
Captain William Hagan managed to overpower the man, who had grabbed the controls of a British Airways Boeing 747, sending it into a 10,00ft dive.
The assailant, Kenyan student Paul Mukoni, forced his way into the aircraft’s cabin during the journey from Gatwick to Nairobi last December.
Captain Hagan struggled with Mukoni and gouged his eyes to disable him while his co-pilot struggled to control the plane, which was carrying 398 passengers.
Now he is to receive an award from the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation (RADR) at a ceremony in London today.
The pilot, whose wife and three children were on board during the flight, will be among ten recipients to be presented with honours by the Duchess of Gloucester during the occasion at the Savoy Hotel.
Mr Hagan said: “It is a privilege to be honoured in this way. It is a prestigious event and I am glad to be part of it.”
Recalling the incident, Mr Hagan added: “I only did what I had to do, as did the rest of my staff. It was quite an ordeal. We are trained to deal with those types of incidents, but it is a pretty cold feeling when you face it in reality.”
Brian Breade, RADR award organiser, said: “The judges thought he was very brave in saving the lives of the passengers on board his plane.”
Earlier this year, Captain Hagan received a medal from the British Gold Heroes Awards for people over 50.