Heliport
12th Dec 2003, 07:51
Western Morning News report
HELICOPTER HEROES COLLECT BRAVERY AWARDS AT PALACE
Two RAF servicemen received one of the highest honours for bravery yesterday for their role in saving a Spanish fisherman in stormy conditions.
Flight Lieutenant Kevin Berry and Sgt Neil Harrison were each awarded the Air Force Cross for braving heavy seas to airlift the fisherman from his vessel more than 100 miles off the Isles of Scilly on October 27 last year.
It took crews from RNAS Culdrose in Helston, and RAF Chivenor in North Devon more than five hours to complete the rescue of the 44-year-old fisherman from aboard the Playa de Samil, where he was found to have suffered internal injuries.
After members of a Royal Navy crew ran low on fuel and were forced to head back to Culdrose, the mission was completed by an RAF Sea King crew from Chivenor.
They were confronted by 60ft waves and winds gusting to more than 90mph. But despite the treacherous conditions, Flt Lt Berry decided to lower winchman Sgt Harrison on to the vessel, keeping the helicopter steady to avoid being caught by one of the huge waves which threatened to end the rescue bid.
Sgt Harrison was successfully manoeuvred into position, and as soon as he made contact with the deck, his fellow crew members winched out the cable at full speed so that he would not be pulled off by the vessel, which was pitching into a deep trough. The injured man was flown to the Royal Cornwall Hospital at Treliske, Truro.
Sgt Harrison, who was at one point during the rescue engulfed by a huge wave, acknowledged that it had been a dangerous mission.
He said: "When you are involved in a rescue like that, there is an element of risk calculation. But you are not necessarily fully aware of just how dangerous it is. We just went out to do our best for the casualty."
Link to a report of a different rescue in which the same pilot and winchman were involved here. (http://www.northdevongazette.co.uk/archived/2002/wk46/news/46news1.asp)
HELICOPTER HEROES COLLECT BRAVERY AWARDS AT PALACE
Two RAF servicemen received one of the highest honours for bravery yesterday for their role in saving a Spanish fisherman in stormy conditions.
Flight Lieutenant Kevin Berry and Sgt Neil Harrison were each awarded the Air Force Cross for braving heavy seas to airlift the fisherman from his vessel more than 100 miles off the Isles of Scilly on October 27 last year.
It took crews from RNAS Culdrose in Helston, and RAF Chivenor in North Devon more than five hours to complete the rescue of the 44-year-old fisherman from aboard the Playa de Samil, where he was found to have suffered internal injuries.
After members of a Royal Navy crew ran low on fuel and were forced to head back to Culdrose, the mission was completed by an RAF Sea King crew from Chivenor.
They were confronted by 60ft waves and winds gusting to more than 90mph. But despite the treacherous conditions, Flt Lt Berry decided to lower winchman Sgt Harrison on to the vessel, keeping the helicopter steady to avoid being caught by one of the huge waves which threatened to end the rescue bid.
Sgt Harrison was successfully manoeuvred into position, and as soon as he made contact with the deck, his fellow crew members winched out the cable at full speed so that he would not be pulled off by the vessel, which was pitching into a deep trough. The injured man was flown to the Royal Cornwall Hospital at Treliske, Truro.
Sgt Harrison, who was at one point during the rescue engulfed by a huge wave, acknowledged that it had been a dangerous mission.
He said: "When you are involved in a rescue like that, there is an element of risk calculation. But you are not necessarily fully aware of just how dangerous it is. We just went out to do our best for the casualty."
Link to a report of a different rescue in which the same pilot and winchman were involved here. (http://www.northdevongazette.co.uk/archived/2002/wk46/news/46news1.asp)