sinala1
11th Aug 2004, 23:30
Would have posted this in Cabin Crew section, but believed it to be worth recognition by all aussie aviators... Congratulations to those nominated, although noticably no mention of Denise, the female FA who too got stabbed in the head?
Air scare action yields awards
By Max Blenkin
12aug04
SEVEN passengers and a crew member aboard a Qantas flight have been recognised for their bravery in subduing a crazed man who believed God had chosen him to crash the plane.
They are among 66 individuals and two groups whose courage has been commended in the latest bravery honours announced today by Governor-General Michael Jeffery.
Heading the list are two Queensland truck drivers, Geoffrey Robinson of Bundaberg and Dennis Savage of Gracemere, awarded the Star of Courage - the second highest award - for rescuing a man from a burning petrol tanker in September 2002.
The citations for Mr Robinson and Mr Savage describe a frightening series of events as they struggled to free the injured driver from the cabin of the overturned tanker, aware it might explode at any moment.
They finally dragged the man free after smashing the tanker's windscreen with a fire extinguisher. Five minutes later, a fireball consumed the vehicle.
The drama aboard Qantas flight 1737 started soon after the aircraft took off from Melbourne on May 29 last year.
A man, armed with sharpened wooden stakes, aerosol cans and cigarette lighters, approached the cabin gallery and stabbed a female flight attendant.
The purser, Gregory Khan, of Sandy Bay in Tasmania, tried to stop the man and was stabbed repeatedly to the back of his head as he struggled with the man.
Seven passengers came to his aid, wrestling with the offender and finally subduing him.
A court was later told the man, David Robinson, 41, from Melbourne, was a paranoid schizophrenic who believed God had chosen him to crash the plane to rid the world of the devil.
He was detained in a psychiatric hospital after being found not guilty on the grounds of insanity.
Mr Khan was awarded the Bravery Medal while the seven passengers were awarded commendations for brave conduct.
The awards list shows bravery isn't exclusively an adult business.
The youngest recipient was eight-year-old Caleb Bodycote, of Elizabeth Downs in South Australia, who was commended for brave conduct in steering a car carrying his family to a safe halt after his father had a seizure.
Ten-year-old Ashleigh Lancaster, of Hampton Park, Victoria was awarded the Bravery Medal for saving a young girl caught in a rip at a Victorian beach.
A 14-member council meets twice a year to assess bravery nominations, working on the basis that bravery is demonstrated when someone's conscious choice and deliberate act places him or her in greater danger.
Air scare action yields awards
By Max Blenkin
12aug04
SEVEN passengers and a crew member aboard a Qantas flight have been recognised for their bravery in subduing a crazed man who believed God had chosen him to crash the plane.
They are among 66 individuals and two groups whose courage has been commended in the latest bravery honours announced today by Governor-General Michael Jeffery.
Heading the list are two Queensland truck drivers, Geoffrey Robinson of Bundaberg and Dennis Savage of Gracemere, awarded the Star of Courage - the second highest award - for rescuing a man from a burning petrol tanker in September 2002.
The citations for Mr Robinson and Mr Savage describe a frightening series of events as they struggled to free the injured driver from the cabin of the overturned tanker, aware it might explode at any moment.
They finally dragged the man free after smashing the tanker's windscreen with a fire extinguisher. Five minutes later, a fireball consumed the vehicle.
The drama aboard Qantas flight 1737 started soon after the aircraft took off from Melbourne on May 29 last year.
A man, armed with sharpened wooden stakes, aerosol cans and cigarette lighters, approached the cabin gallery and stabbed a female flight attendant.
The purser, Gregory Khan, of Sandy Bay in Tasmania, tried to stop the man and was stabbed repeatedly to the back of his head as he struggled with the man.
Seven passengers came to his aid, wrestling with the offender and finally subduing him.
A court was later told the man, David Robinson, 41, from Melbourne, was a paranoid schizophrenic who believed God had chosen him to crash the plane to rid the world of the devil.
He was detained in a psychiatric hospital after being found not guilty on the grounds of insanity.
Mr Khan was awarded the Bravery Medal while the seven passengers were awarded commendations for brave conduct.
The awards list shows bravery isn't exclusively an adult business.
The youngest recipient was eight-year-old Caleb Bodycote, of Elizabeth Downs in South Australia, who was commended for brave conduct in steering a car carrying his family to a safe halt after his father had a seizure.
Ten-year-old Ashleigh Lancaster, of Hampton Park, Victoria was awarded the Bravery Medal for saving a young girl caught in a rip at a Victorian beach.
A 14-member council meets twice a year to assess bravery nominations, working on the basis that bravery is demonstrated when someone's conscious choice and deliberate act places him or her in greater danger.