Nottingham Lynx Ditching
 

Press Release from Invincible:

3 Mar 05 (As at 1100L)

HMS NOTTINGHAM – Lynx Ditching
HMS NOTTINGHAM’s Lynx and 3 aircrew ditched shortly after 0800 Local (0400 GMT) on Thu 3 Mar 05. The Mk 8 Lynx from 815 NAS had been conducting a routine surface search in the Indian Ocean, when at 0755 she made a MAYDAY call. The Lynx ditched in a controlled fashion and all 3 aircrew escaped unhurt. The helicopter sank soon afterwards in deep water.

The ditching took place about 120 miles to the east of Oman, with HMS NOTTINGHAM, HMS INVINCIBLE and FS GUEPRATTE in the vicinity. The multinational force immediately reacted to effect a rescue, aided by the nearby Merchant Vessel, Wilhelm Schulter. HMS INVINCIBLE’s 771 NAS helicopter recovered the 3 aircrew to the aircraft carrier. They will be returned to HMS NOTTINGHAM later in the day.

HMS NOTTINGHAM is part of a Task Group operating in the Gulf of Arabia. She is acting as escort to HMS INVINCIBLE, where Rear Admiral Charles Style CBE, Commander of the UK Maritime Forces heads up the Task Group as part of MARSTRIKE 05 deployment.

An investigation into the incident has started.

Thank God they're safe. God Bless 771 (again).

Echo Orca's sentiments, glad no one hurt.

What an awful few months for the RN Lynx guys.

Thank god they're all OK - good to hear some positive news after something like this.

Great stuff! Well done the rescuers and well done the ditching crew for the fine flying that enabled survival.

Told you the drills would be useful one day!...

Lynx Ditch
 

Glad to here all ok. Well done 771.

yours aye

TR

Nottingham Lynx
 

Thankfully all are safe and well after hearing a "buzz" today
Big relief, hope crew, family and friends are coping ok

240

yes, well done 771.
You took off, flew to the survivors, winched them up and flew back.
Let me be the first to suggest all manner of medals for your bravery:rolleyes:

Just to clarify.

771 do have a flight on Invincible. Not sure which one but they provide SAR and HDS support.

Thank goodness all are safe.

:hmm:

I echo most comments. Glad the crew are safe.

Tourist. Not required!

kipper

Echo everyone - Thank god they are safe:O
Well done SAR boys whatever sqn they were from:ok:

Good to know everyone's safe.

Well done folks.:ok:

Tourist, me thinks your chip is showing.:hmm:

These threads P#ss me off!
Everybody is fine!
Get over it.
Endless lists of people, most of whom I truly don't believe know the people involved any more than I do, saying "gosh I am so glad!" and "well done 771!!" (and no, I dont have anything against SAR Gods, but congratulate them for their moments of bravery, not for Sea Drills for gods sake)
Please save outpourings of emotion for events that really warrant it, and then only if you really have to.

Excuse my rampant ignorance - FS GUEPRATTE? Who they, please?:confused:

GF - a French La Fayette -class light frigate IIRC...

Glad all OK.

Tourist

Please put yourself in the position of the Lynx crew - probably just survived a truly terrifying ordeal (maybe only thought about it after the event - they were probably too busy to think at the time). The Lynx does not float so well, even in a controlled ditching, so they probably had little time to get out - specially more difficult for the third crew member stuck in the tiny cabin in the back, so just to get out is an enormous relief.

So, a minute or two ago you were flying around happy as larry and suddenly the world goes crazy, your heart rate goes through the roof, massive anxiety followed by relief that you got out. There you are bobbing up and down in your tiny life raft (or not maybe), and a big grey and red helo comes over the horizon. I would surmise it is the most wonderful feeling imaginable. 71 flights are on the CVS for HDS and SAR so they did their job yes, and maybe its not AFCs all round but it is nice to know there is an organic system in place to help out those aircrew deployed away on the frontline.

Oggin.

Well done 71.

p.s. any sharks in that part of the world? That would make the appearance of a SAR asset even more comforting!

I've seen Nobbys out that way, and I would be v happy to see the old girl loom over the horizon (although belive that one is all grey)

Echo your thoughts Oggin, just because the rescue was "easy" doesn't devalue it in anyway and it must have been a nice change to not be carrying the mail/VIP/stores.:ok:

We do like to dole out praise on this forum, particularly to our SAR heroes, but I don't think its like they ask for the adulation, is it?

Tourist, I wonder how grateful you would be to get plucked from the inky ogsplash after a ditching?

Yep - have to agree with Tourist. All ok, physically, and we're all very glad. There but etc etc.

Bar talk suggests fuel.:mad:

Tourist,

Your comments are totally unwarranted and uneccessary, and frankly if you don't like reading about peoples relief and praise, then I would suggest you sod off.

Well done to ALL concerned, 771 and the SAR boys.

Kind regards
TSM

In support of tourist this was a controlled ditching in a sea state 1 day VMC in the Gulf...Blue forecasting Blue....hardly taxing. The aircraft came to the hover whilst the crew abandoned the aircraft then the pilot ditched it....
The aircrew were then rescued from the sea from a boat which was from a merchant ship.
So, no QGM here Im afraid.

I just happen to believe that this kind of overblown, and dare I say it American, thing devalues the truly praisworthy moments in life. Reminds me of national outpourings of grief at Diana etc. Makes me want to vomit.

Mmmm. All the same, a rather nervous moment for any pilot I'd have thought, and especially if you've had to build up to it over a few minutes. So respect for getting away with it under any circumstances.

:ok:

Hours of routine followed by moments of sheer terror
 

In this case, where one's peers understand the implications of a controlled descent to the Og', a conscious decision to dunk it, and they then elect to offer "well done's" to the crew and thanks to the Almighty for a safe outcome, they are often received with the usual slightly embarrassed "it was nothing and the drills worked".

However, this does not undervalue the effort, skill and good fortune necessary to pull it off.

Would'nt want to spend anytime swimming deep water in that area, it is quite notorious for the larger variety of "Hungry Johnny".

A great team effort by all concerned, well done. :ok:

Exactly. If there is be any praise for this unfortunate incident it should be to the pilot who carried out a text book controlled ditching.

Praise Fatigue
 

What’s wrong with praising professionalism and giving a written and public pat on the back when it’s earned? God knows the forces need a pick up now and again and if it comes within the flying community – so be it.

There is no such thing as praise fatigue so well done both crews. Much nicer to read a success story than a disaster!

So why exactly did it ditch in the shark infested waters off Oman?

Agree completely with Tourist. Let us not be like Americans! The 71 cab did its job, crew back in their own bar, A25 being drafted (boys, make sure you get your story straight!), end of dit.

Believe there may be a whiff of something about this episode - and probably not one of AVCAT. Hope this rumour net lives up to its reputation. Never let the truth get in the way of a great story. There but for the grace of God....

Exactly - text book ditching, hats off, well done 71 etc etc.....

But why the need for a text book ditching??

Rumours abound, and thats why we're here isn't it, so lets have it, why leave your Mk8 in that particular spot?

:confused: :confused: :confused:

Not sure the RN can aford to ditch Mk8 Lynxs or any aircraft at the moment. How many are there in the shed?

Why did they not make it back to the ship - no rumour on any aircraft snag - enough gas? Won't be the first or last time that ship and aircraft are not at the same point on the globe at sortie end! Would be interesting to know how close the nearest warship was to the datum. Also how long the crew had to wait for rescue.

Why did they ditch the aircraft next to a merchant ship?

why didn't they think they could get back to the ship?

Hope they weren't carrying mail at the time!! Else they'd get a kicking from the lads on Nottingham... and yes its happened before:p

Read the first signal about it

ran out of fuel...............oops

wrong pigeons from a Mk7 (shouldn't the crew have had a better handle on it themselves?)

lets not blow sunshine up 771's proverbial, they winched the crew from a merchant ship.. any self respecting naval crew could have done that.

mind you there but for the grace of god... etc

maybe the ship wasn't where is thought it was...maybe the ships computer system was telling lies...Maybe the T42 had its normal Nav slippage.....Now, thats never done that b4 has it !!!!!!!

Yes they should, but aren't we led to understand that the ASAC is the best thing in Naval Aviation at present? Surely they couldn't have messed up?? Ah I know, its optimised for tracking tanks in the desert not airborne contacts...........:E

I used to fly the Lynx (now got a bigger one) but in defence of the Bagmen...its not their job to do the fuel checks of another aircraft.

Who does the fuel checks in your aircraft?

If you run out of fuel , you can look and point but at the end of the day there is only one person you should look at

Totally agree about fuel checks, and know exactly what that sinking feeling is like when you arrive where Mum is........and she isn't. If they did run out of fuel, its them that carry the can, just trying to bring the bags in on the fun

Everyone who doesn't fancy a swim.:ok:

Top tip. Don't trust someone NOT strapped into YOUR aircraft to keep a handle on range/bearing to mother. Let others back you up but always keep something in the tank for the wife and kids let alone your OJAR and aviation career. Also, especially in silent or emcon restricted operations, a margin of go-juice is worth holding back in case the ship isn't at the planned rv.

Final (food for) thought. Currency. How many hours are crews getting right now? Even if hours on deployment are better than ashore I bet they are down from the rates considered prudent in the 60s, 70s, 80s and even 90s. If it was a slip up under emcon silence, how much silent work really goes on these days compared with Cold War ops.

Lets all stop speculating and wait for the result of the BOI.

Glad to hear the crew are ok and the SAR boys managed to get to them and do their bit!!

The SAR boys didn't get to them and do there bit....they were rescued by a ships boat from a ship