http://ww.brisbanetimes.com.au/natio...0315-q6bs.html
Oz bravery awards announced today, two awards were given to sailors who rescued passengers trapped in the sinking helicopter.
Since the rescuers are given awards it underlines the danger the passengers and pilot were in...
"The next highest decoration, the Bravery Medal, will be awarded to 19 people.
Among them are Adrian Rigby and Luke Firth, cruise ship crewmen who dragged passengers from a ditched and sinking helicopter off the Kimberley coast in September 2008.
When the sightseeing chopper crashed into the sea after taking off from the ship in Talbot Bay, the pair dived in.
Four passengers and the pilot made it out, but two women were trapped in the capsized chopper with their seatbelts buckled, including an 87-year-old who had lost consciousness.
"So I dived in and the first thing my hand got to was her buckle. I couldn't believe it. It was a miracle," Mr Rigby said.
Mr Firth, meanwhile, repeatedly dived down to free the other woman whose seatbelt had become tangled."
Someone early in this thread suggested the accident had been filmed.
Any footage of the rescue would be valuable training aide.
Well done to the boat crew!
Mickjoebill