RAF aircrew honoured in Life Savers Awards
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RAF aircrew honoured in Life Savers Awards
For the second year in a row, A Flight from 202 Squadron at RAF Boulmer, Northumberland, received the prestigious Daily Express/Vodafone Life Savers Award – no mean feat considering how many courageous candidates, both military and civilian, were put forward.
The crew won the recognition for their daring rescue of a crew from a burning ship, which was loaded with fertiliser and diesel. The ship was described as a ‘floating bomb’.
When their Sea King helicopter arrived the pilots saw the ship’s crew trying to fight the blaze-but with little effect.
Sergeant Neil Finch was winched down to the ship despite the smothering smoke. Four of the men were immediately lifted to safety but when Sergeant Finch was about to attach himself and the captain to the winch there was a massive explosion on board.
The helicopter had to move away for safety reasons leaving Sergeant Finch and the captain stranded on the deck.
Sergeant Finch could have jumped into the sea. His flying gear would have protected him from the freezing water but the captain was only wearing light clothes and would have soon died from thermal shock.
Sergeant Finch refused to leave the captain and the helicopter crew refused to desert Sergeant Finch. Therefore, against all odds including zero visibility at times, the aircrew desperately tried to bring the helicopter close enough to drop the winch to the waiting men below. Risking their lives throughout the rescue, they did not give up until Sergeant Finch and the ship’s captain were rescued.
At the award ceremony it was said that it is doubtful if the crew of the stricken ship would have survived had it not been for the courage and exceptional flying skills of A Flight, 202 Squadron.
Many people might wonder why anyone would choose such a dangerous job but both Flight Sergeant Al Hegerty and Flight Lieutenant Andy Smith said that being able to save people’s lives was the ultimate reward. Flight Sergeant Hegerty said:
‘There is a lot of cameraderie. We are a four-man crew. No one can do without the other. The job requires the ultimate trust in each other.’
While the helicopter tried to get back to the ship to rescue Sergeant Finch and the captain, they were warned about the dangers in doing so, and they would have been in their rights to leave them in order to ensure safety of their own lives, but as Flight Lieutenant Smith said: ‘We had lost radio contact with Sergeantt Finch. We could not tell him to jump off the ship. We just had to go back.’
But they had no time to philosophise during the action. Lieutenant Bill Sasser, who was on a detachment from the US Coast Guards said: ‘You did not really think about it until after the operation. I remember feeling the adrenalin leaving the body afterwards. My hands were shaking. I was so relieved.’’
The award ceremony began with a reception at No 10 Downing Street where the winners met the Prime Minister and Cherie Blair. The awards were then presented in the afternoon at the Savoy Hotel, during which Lieutenant Sasser paid tribute to the RAF engineers who, often as unsung heroes, maintain the operational capability of the search and rescue helicopters around the clock and without whom, lives would be lost.
RAF News
The crew won the recognition for their daring rescue of a crew from a burning ship, which was loaded with fertiliser and diesel. The ship was described as a ‘floating bomb’.
When their Sea King helicopter arrived the pilots saw the ship’s crew trying to fight the blaze-but with little effect.
Sergeant Neil Finch was winched down to the ship despite the smothering smoke. Four of the men were immediately lifted to safety but when Sergeant Finch was about to attach himself and the captain to the winch there was a massive explosion on board.
The helicopter had to move away for safety reasons leaving Sergeant Finch and the captain stranded on the deck.
Sergeant Finch could have jumped into the sea. His flying gear would have protected him from the freezing water but the captain was only wearing light clothes and would have soon died from thermal shock.
Sergeant Finch refused to leave the captain and the helicopter crew refused to desert Sergeant Finch. Therefore, against all odds including zero visibility at times, the aircrew desperately tried to bring the helicopter close enough to drop the winch to the waiting men below. Risking their lives throughout the rescue, they did not give up until Sergeant Finch and the ship’s captain were rescued.
At the award ceremony it was said that it is doubtful if the crew of the stricken ship would have survived had it not been for the courage and exceptional flying skills of A Flight, 202 Squadron.
Many people might wonder why anyone would choose such a dangerous job but both Flight Sergeant Al Hegerty and Flight Lieutenant Andy Smith said that being able to save people’s lives was the ultimate reward. Flight Sergeant Hegerty said:
‘There is a lot of cameraderie. We are a four-man crew. No one can do without the other. The job requires the ultimate trust in each other.’
While the helicopter tried to get back to the ship to rescue Sergeant Finch and the captain, they were warned about the dangers in doing so, and they would have been in their rights to leave them in order to ensure safety of their own lives, but as Flight Lieutenant Smith said: ‘We had lost radio contact with Sergeantt Finch. We could not tell him to jump off the ship. We just had to go back.’
But they had no time to philosophise during the action. Lieutenant Bill Sasser, who was on a detachment from the US Coast Guards said: ‘You did not really think about it until after the operation. I remember feeling the adrenalin leaving the body afterwards. My hands were shaking. I was so relieved.’’
The award ceremony began with a reception at No 10 Downing Street where the winners met the Prime Minister and Cherie Blair. The awards were then presented in the afternoon at the Savoy Hotel, during which Lieutenant Sasser paid tribute to the RAF engineers who, often as unsung heroes, maintain the operational capability of the search and rescue helicopters around the clock and without whom, lives would be lost.
RAF News
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It’s nice to see Ex Army Air Corps pilots crossing over (does that make them Cross Dressers?) and doing a great job. Well done Andy.
Last edited by Max_Chat; 30th Oct 2003 at 18:38.
Congratulations...
