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Glider crash man meets rescuers | Glider crash man meets rescuers |
(about 4 hours later) | |
A glider pilot who spent more than 27 hours in crash wreckage has met the RAF crew who helped rescue him. | A glider pilot who spent more than 27 hours in crash wreckage has met the RAF crew who helped rescue him. |
John Russell, 65, from York, crashed on a hillside near Braemar, in the north of Scotland, during a gliding competition in July 2006. | |
He was found by a Tornado crew from RAF Lossiemouth using "the oldest piece of kit in the service, a Mark1 eyeball". | |
On Thursday Mr Russell travelled to RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire to thank the two airmen who found him. | On Thursday Mr Russell travelled to RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire to thank the two airmen who found him. |
It was a remarkable feat of survival Sqn Ldr Roger Organ | It was a remarkable feat of survival Sqn Ldr Roger Organ |
Mr Russell was trapped and exposed to the elements with a shattered left leg before Sqn Ldr Roger Organ and Flt Lt Mark Haley spotted the wreck and radioed for help. | |
After meeting them on Thursday Mr Russell, who still has to walk with a stick after the accident, said: "It's absolutely wonderful to meet them. | After meeting them on Thursday Mr Russell, who still has to walk with a stick after the accident, said: "It's absolutely wonderful to meet them. |
"I've thought about it an awful lot, also it's very emotional for me because I've got in my mind clearly how I sat for all those hours." | "I've thought about it an awful lot, also it's very emotional for me because I've got in my mind clearly how I sat for all those hours." |
Mr Russell described what it was like to be stranded. | Mr Russell described what it was like to be stranded. |
"It was a bit of a long haul, particularly through the night when I didn't have a coat, it was pouring with rain, I was frozen stiff. It was just a bit of an arduous long haul," he said. | "It was a bit of a long haul, particularly through the night when I didn't have a coat, it was pouring with rain, I was frozen stiff. It was just a bit of an arduous long haul," he said. |
'Expecting body' | |
The pilots told how they were amazed when Mr Russell waved at them and had to fly past twice to make sure he was definitely still alive. | The pilots told how they were amazed when Mr Russell waved at them and had to fly past twice to make sure he was definitely still alive. |
Sqn Ldr Organ said: "It was just a sheer surprise, the two of us were just expecting to find a body. It was a remarkable feat of survival." | Sqn Ldr Organ said: "It was just a sheer surprise, the two of us were just expecting to find a body. It was a remarkable feat of survival." |
One of the rescuers who had been scouring the bleak hills said at the time "it was like looking for a needle in a haystack". | |
Thanking the pilots, Mr Russell said: "You probably don't appreciate how much it meant to me to go round and round me until the helicopter came. It gave me a feeling of wellbeing and morale, it lifted me so much." | Thanking the pilots, Mr Russell said: "You probably don't appreciate how much it meant to me to go round and round me until the helicopter came. It gave me a feeling of wellbeing and morale, it lifted me so much." |
Mr Russell said he had been flying in a two-seater glider since the accident but did not know if he would fly alone again. | Mr Russell said he had been flying in a two-seater glider since the accident but did not know if he would fly alone again. |
In May a report into the crash concluded that Mr Russell survived thanks to "extreme good luck". | In May a report into the crash concluded that Mr Russell survived thanks to "extreme good luck". |
The report by the British Gliding Association said it was reviewing its advice to clubs and pilots on carrying emergency homing devices in remote areas. | The report by the British Gliding Association said it was reviewing its advice to clubs and pilots on carrying emergency homing devices in remote areas. |
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