Anyone ever been in a plane/ship/train disaster ?
Discussion
. jackal said:
what happened ?
The last aerobatic competition I flew..in the Yak because Pitts was knackered...complete disaster...but like entering the Caterham Challenge in a Range Rover.Oh, and the bill to fix the Pitts. Another disaster. Before that was the annual for the Yak. £18K. Utter disaster.
Still, compared to the bills you can generate running a boat or a train, small beer indeed.
I was on a plane at Naples airport when the front wheel snapped and the nose of the plane smacked the runway when we were about to take off. Was scary s
t although it wasnt going at full speed and nobody was hurt except for a few bruises and a bit of whiplash to a few people. Had the usual inflatable slide things which was different and I remember mum being scared to go on the slide.
We got sent to the Napoli Hilton for a free nights sleep, but were woken after a few hours to find out we had been booked on another plane back to Manchester. Alot of people didnt get on the plane though.
Also I was on the runway at milan airport when a plane hit another plane and then careered into the termainal building. Although I didnt see what happened I heard it and was left stranded on the runway on the plane for about 3 hours. Ironically i was on the way to Naples.
So for future reference never go to Naples if im going.
t although it wasnt going at full speed and nobody was hurt except for a few bruises and a bit of whiplash to a few people. Had the usual inflatable slide things which was different and I remember mum being scared to go on the slide. We got sent to the Napoli Hilton for a free nights sleep, but were woken after a few hours to find out we had been booked on another plane back to Manchester. Alot of people didnt get on the plane though.
Also I was on the runway at milan airport when a plane hit another plane and then careered into the termainal building. Although I didnt see what happened I heard it and was left stranded on the runway on the plane for about 3 hours. Ironically i was on the way to Naples.
So for future reference never go to Naples if im going.
Edited by Will26 on Saturday 18th October 03:25
I had scary moment flying from Heathrow once.
Taxying to the runway you have to queue to cross the runway that is being used for landing. I sat on the right hand side watching the planes in come in, after each one we would move up a place or two as the planes in front crossed the run way after the landing plane had passed. We were at the front of the queue and I was watching another BA plane come in when we started to move forward and crossed the runway, the BA plane coming in had to abort its landing because we were on the runway. Probably worse for the passengers on the other plane.
Taxying to the runway you have to queue to cross the runway that is being used for landing. I sat on the right hand side watching the planes in come in, after each one we would move up a place or two as the planes in front crossed the run way after the landing plane had passed. We were at the front of the queue and I was watching another BA plane come in when we started to move forward and crossed the runway, the BA plane coming in had to abort its landing because we were on the runway. Probably worse for the passengers on the other plane.
Engine caught fire whilst taxiing. Ended up deplaning via the emergency chutes after having to open the emergency doors as the hostie couldn't manage it. Embarrassing to see how the 'British stiff upper lip' collectively failed when confronted by flames and smoke.
Still, got a freebie back on Concorde as a reward.
Still, got a freebie back on Concorde as a reward.
Absolutely horrible story - there is no glamour in this.
I used to travel through London between Southampton (Uni) and the Midlands (Home) during the late 80's.
I came through Kings Cross / St Pancras tube station on the first day after it was reopened after the fire - a long time before they got around to redecorating.
Horrible, horrible, horrible.
I remember thinking how horrendous it must have been for the poor people down there when it happened whilst at the same time feeling as guilty as hell for being glad that it hadn't been me.
I'm not sure if this is a good thread or not yet - but the opening line of "So how was it for you?" suggests that it is more voyeuristic that meaningful.
I used to travel through London between Southampton (Uni) and the Midlands (Home) during the late 80's.
I came through Kings Cross / St Pancras tube station on the first day after it was reopened after the fire - a long time before they got around to redecorating.
Horrible, horrible, horrible.
I remember thinking how horrendous it must have been for the poor people down there when it happened whilst at the same time feeling as guilty as hell for being glad that it hadn't been me.
I'm not sure if this is a good thread or not yet - but the opening line of "So how was it for you?" suggests that it is more voyeuristic that meaningful.
Was one of the first on the scene at Lockerbie. Words cannot express the carnage. Whenever I'm asked about 'how they looked' I use the following. Imagine someone being sat down minding their own business when a explosion tears a hole in the side of the aircraft. The aircraft disintegrates in flames and they fall 6 miles through the air and bounce across the Scottish hillside or land in trees, on fences, on houses etc etc........thats what they looked like.
It is an image that will live with me and I'm sure many others for the rest of my life. Military counselling at the time was a case of 40 people sitting in a lecture room with one, very ill at ease, counsellor asking "right then, anyone got a problem with that?". Strangely, nobody said a word.
This was all just a couple of days before my 18th birthday.
Editted to say, some of the 'press' on scene were a 'kin disgrace. I don't know who they were or who they were reporters for. I know at times that soldiers and the press have had their differences. However, shoving a recording device in someones face and asking them if they were enjoying themselves presumably to provoke a reaction is just not on.
There were looters having a field day up there, my patrol found cash, pharmaceuticals (sp?) and most harrowing, wrapped up christmas presents etc. Everything was bagged and tagged. I saw only one guy take anything and that was a guy, who previously didnt smoke taking a pack of 'gallouise' ciggies off a body and sparking one up with the comment "guess she won't miss them".
It is an image that will live with me and I'm sure many others for the rest of my life. Military counselling at the time was a case of 40 people sitting in a lecture room with one, very ill at ease, counsellor asking "right then, anyone got a problem with that?". Strangely, nobody said a word.
This was all just a couple of days before my 18th birthday.
Editted to say, some of the 'press' on scene were a 'kin disgrace. I don't know who they were or who they were reporters for. I know at times that soldiers and the press have had their differences. However, shoving a recording device in someones face and asking them if they were enjoying themselves presumably to provoke a reaction is just not on.
There were looters having a field day up there, my patrol found cash, pharmaceuticals (sp?) and most harrowing, wrapped up christmas presents etc. Everything was bagged and tagged. I saw only one guy take anything and that was a guy, who previously didnt smoke taking a pack of 'gallouise' ciggies off a body and sparking one up with the comment "guess she won't miss them".
Edited by chukka64 on Saturday 18th October 12:26
Edited by chukka64 on Saturday 18th October 17:13
Edited by chukka64 on Saturday 18th October 17:14
Edited by chukka64 on Saturday 18th October 17:15
Not quite a disaster, but I was onboard a tall ship that had an engine fire.
Couple of life boats came out and by the time they got there the onboard team had put the fire out, though the engine was buggered.
If it had been a motor ship we'd have had to evacuate as it would have been set on to the rocks off Torbay, but we turned round, set sail, and had a cracking sail to Portland, with the escorting life boat struggling to keep up...
It's quite scary being at sea watching smoke pouring out of your ship...
Couple of life boats came out and by the time they got there the onboard team had put the fire out, though the engine was buggered.
If it had been a motor ship we'd have had to evacuate as it would have been set on to the rocks off Torbay, but we turned round, set sail, and had a cracking sail to Portland, with the escorting life boat struggling to keep up...
It's quite scary being at sea watching smoke pouring out of your ship...
3 Plane crashes.
1 Tristar lost a wing engine over the Red Sea. Turned back and landed safe at Jeddah. Apparant bird-strike.
2 Jumbo came in to land a bit quick and ended up blowing and igniting tyres - my first trip on the slide!
3 Baggage truck reversed into plane in Algeria. Made it to LGW after and, after stepping out, realised that it was a bit riskier than we were led to believe - huge puncture of the outer layers.
I still fly alot, I reckon my chances of being in another are pretty slim....
1 Tristar lost a wing engine over the Red Sea. Turned back and landed safe at Jeddah. Apparant bird-strike.
2 Jumbo came in to land a bit quick and ended up blowing and igniting tyres - my first trip on the slide!
3 Baggage truck reversed into plane in Algeria. Made it to LGW after and, after stepping out, realised that it was a bit riskier than we were led to believe - huge puncture of the outer layers.
I still fly alot, I reckon my chances of being in another are pretty slim....
Will, that is shocking (1 is bad, but 2 is 
) and you still travel by plane?
As I have mentioned before, I have been involved in a ship disaster........long post alert.
20 years ago this coming Tuesday, I was set to go on a cruise ship around the Med. on a school trip. It ended up being the only and shortest cruise of my life.
It was evening time and dark. The cruise ship Jupiter made its way out of Piraeus harbour in Greece It was then struck in the side by a big freight boat. At the time the boat was struck, I was on the stairs on my way to the lounge with my friends (and fell down some).
Wondering what was going on, we made our way to the lounge to find our teachers already there, who told us not to worry, so we sat down.
The boat started to list. My eyes fixed on the lights of the harbour in the horizon, I noticed they were moving upwards. We all sat still.
Announcements were made over the tannoy to staff of airtight doors closing, but still we sat still (brains refusing to accept and deal with what was going on). The listing got worse and glasses started to slide off the nearby bar.
A girl nearby started having an epileptic fit (I have always wondered if she was one of those who died). Some chairs started to move.
I decided it was time to get out of the lounge, people had aleady started leaving. My teachers told me to stay, but I didn't. I then have a minute of so were I cannot recal (and could not recal even straight after), maybe that was the brain going into survival mode.
I was now outside holding onto the railings, the boat continued to list and the lights flickered on and off, there was also a strong smell of fuel. I had no idea where my friends were, but there were other people holding on around me.
Small tug boats started making there way over to the boat. A speedboat came over and I could see flashes from a camera. Someone was taking pictures of us and I just wanted them to help us.
I looked at the lifeboats and could see that it was impossible to launch them (due to the angle of the cruise ship). None of us were wearing lifejackets and there were no crew about (had some jumped off early?), but surprisingly everyone was calm. I had got in my head that we were going to be taken off the boat and that it would be put upright and we would get back on and have our holiday.
The tugs were arriving and people were making there way across to where they were (at the nose of the boat), arms wrapped around the railings most of the time, apart from when you had to get across to a different section. It was at these times when some people would just slide into the sea, as the angle of the listing boat was so steep. I ws grateful for my cheap rubber soled shoes. I made my way past the swimming pool that was now empty. Through all of this I kept hold of a notebook and pen (so I had something to do while the ship was corrected...strange thought) I held them in my waist band as I couldn't actually hold them.
Eventually I got to the tugs and had a big jump to get across to it. I landed on it, but horizontally. Badly bruising my legs, but pleased to be off the boat. I wished I knew how to say thank you in greek, I could only say it in english, I am sure I must have looked grateful.
We (me and some others off the ship) were them told to go downstairs (realising after that the tug people sent us down so we missed the ship sink). We were then transfered to another tug to take us back to harbour, while swapping boats I looked for the ship but couldn't see it. Someone said we were too far away to spot it.
I got back to the harbour and everyone was being put in a warehouse. I started making a list (thanks to keeping my pad) of friends I was spotting and gradually we all grouped together, but not everyone was there. We found out that some people were taken straight to hospital.
My list was given to an official person, I think it may have been forwarded to the British embassy. One of my teachers thanked me for being organised.
The next bit was told to me by my mum. Back in the UK wile this was going on, tv programmes were interrupted with a news flash, informing them that the cruise ship Jupiter containing British schoolchildren had sunk in Greece and it was not known if there were survivors. I will never know exactly how my parents felt at this moment apart from panic.
They along with others made their way to my school were they waited for information.
In the meantime those of us of the cruise ship were put onto another cruise ship that was moored in the Harbour, although we were not keen and actually still didn't know at this time that our boat had gone. More friends arrived, some soaked from where thay had been rescued from the water.
Then we found out that we were allowed to call home. I got made a brief call to my very relieved parents.
We sat together all sharing experiences and we eventually found out that our boat had gone. We spent the night talking and in the morning we were given some snacks and a blanket.
We then got off the moored boat onto coaches, we were now going ot the airport to go home. As we went past news stands etc. the front pages of all of the papers has pictures of our boat on it.
The coaches arrived at the airport and we were driven straight to the planes (Britannia). We flew home (and do remember the stewardesses being really nice to us, looking back, I realise that they knew what we had been through.
We arrived at Stansted and coaches were waiting for us. For the first time in my life I wanted to kiss the tarmac. I was so grateful to be back in the UK.
The coach took us back to school, we had to keep the blinds closed on the bus because of the paparrazi following and driving alongside trying to take pictures of us.
We arrived at school (past more press at the gates) and the headmaster stepped on our coach, he was crying and said he was so happy that we were home. We were then allowed into the school hall and into the arms of our parents, cue lots of tears.
When I got home, I took my curtains down in my bedroom as I felt trapped (it was years before they went back up). I struggled to get in the bath as I was afraid.
I struggled for months after that being on buses (as they leaned to go around corners I would panic and have to get off). The smell of diesel would give me flashbacks. There was lots of other odd things that would set me off.
Eventually I settled down. I later found out that a few other children didn't, not being able to cope with the 'post traumatic stress disorder' they killed themselves.
A few crew and passengers had died and one of my teachers had her legs amputed (due to staying in the lounge too long and being crushed by the chairs etc).
I think that if the boat passengers were all adult, then many more would have died, due to realisation and panicking. We were mostly obedient and kept calm (I guess because we couldn't fully comprehend what was going on).
I still hate boats, only using them if I really have to and I will never do an overnight trip on one.
(please ignore all of my typos)
) and you still travel by plane?As I have mentioned before, I have been involved in a ship disaster........long post alert.
20 years ago this coming Tuesday, I was set to go on a cruise ship around the Med. on a school trip. It ended up being the only and shortest cruise of my life.
It was evening time and dark. The cruise ship Jupiter made its way out of Piraeus harbour in Greece It was then struck in the side by a big freight boat. At the time the boat was struck, I was on the stairs on my way to the lounge with my friends (and fell down some).
Wondering what was going on, we made our way to the lounge to find our teachers already there, who told us not to worry, so we sat down.
The boat started to list. My eyes fixed on the lights of the harbour in the horizon, I noticed they were moving upwards. We all sat still.
Announcements were made over the tannoy to staff of airtight doors closing, but still we sat still (brains refusing to accept and deal with what was going on). The listing got worse and glasses started to slide off the nearby bar.
A girl nearby started having an epileptic fit (I have always wondered if she was one of those who died). Some chairs started to move.
I decided it was time to get out of the lounge, people had aleady started leaving. My teachers told me to stay, but I didn't. I then have a minute of so were I cannot recal (and could not recal even straight after), maybe that was the brain going into survival mode.
I was now outside holding onto the railings, the boat continued to list and the lights flickered on and off, there was also a strong smell of fuel. I had no idea where my friends were, but there were other people holding on around me.
Small tug boats started making there way over to the boat. A speedboat came over and I could see flashes from a camera. Someone was taking pictures of us and I just wanted them to help us.
I looked at the lifeboats and could see that it was impossible to launch them (due to the angle of the cruise ship). None of us were wearing lifejackets and there were no crew about (had some jumped off early?), but surprisingly everyone was calm. I had got in my head that we were going to be taken off the boat and that it would be put upright and we would get back on and have our holiday.
The tugs were arriving and people were making there way across to where they were (at the nose of the boat), arms wrapped around the railings most of the time, apart from when you had to get across to a different section. It was at these times when some people would just slide into the sea, as the angle of the listing boat was so steep. I ws grateful for my cheap rubber soled shoes. I made my way past the swimming pool that was now empty. Through all of this I kept hold of a notebook and pen (so I had something to do while the ship was corrected...strange thought) I held them in my waist band as I couldn't actually hold them.
Eventually I got to the tugs and had a big jump to get across to it. I landed on it, but horizontally. Badly bruising my legs, but pleased to be off the boat. I wished I knew how to say thank you in greek, I could only say it in english, I am sure I must have looked grateful.
We (me and some others off the ship) were them told to go downstairs (realising after that the tug people sent us down so we missed the ship sink). We were then transfered to another tug to take us back to harbour, while swapping boats I looked for the ship but couldn't see it. Someone said we were too far away to spot it.
I got back to the harbour and everyone was being put in a warehouse. I started making a list (thanks to keeping my pad) of friends I was spotting and gradually we all grouped together, but not everyone was there. We found out that some people were taken straight to hospital.
My list was given to an official person, I think it may have been forwarded to the British embassy. One of my teachers thanked me for being organised.
The next bit was told to me by my mum. Back in the UK wile this was going on, tv programmes were interrupted with a news flash, informing them that the cruise ship Jupiter containing British schoolchildren had sunk in Greece and it was not known if there were survivors. I will never know exactly how my parents felt at this moment apart from panic.
They along with others made their way to my school were they waited for information.
In the meantime those of us of the cruise ship were put onto another cruise ship that was moored in the Harbour, although we were not keen and actually still didn't know at this time that our boat had gone. More friends arrived, some soaked from where thay had been rescued from the water.
Then we found out that we were allowed to call home. I got made a brief call to my very relieved parents.
We sat together all sharing experiences and we eventually found out that our boat had gone. We spent the night talking and in the morning we were given some snacks and a blanket.
We then got off the moored boat onto coaches, we were now going ot the airport to go home. As we went past news stands etc. the front pages of all of the papers has pictures of our boat on it.
The coaches arrived at the airport and we were driven straight to the planes (Britannia). We flew home (and do remember the stewardesses being really nice to us, looking back, I realise that they knew what we had been through.
We arrived at Stansted and coaches were waiting for us. For the first time in my life I wanted to kiss the tarmac. I was so grateful to be back in the UK.
The coach took us back to school, we had to keep the blinds closed on the bus because of the paparrazi following and driving alongside trying to take pictures of us.
We arrived at school (past more press at the gates) and the headmaster stepped on our coach, he was crying and said he was so happy that we were home. We were then allowed into the school hall and into the arms of our parents, cue lots of tears.
When I got home, I took my curtains down in my bedroom as I felt trapped (it was years before they went back up). I struggled to get in the bath as I was afraid.
I struggled for months after that being on buses (as they leaned to go around corners I would panic and have to get off). The smell of diesel would give me flashbacks. There was lots of other odd things that would set me off.
Eventually I settled down. I later found out that a few other children didn't, not being able to cope with the 'post traumatic stress disorder' they killed themselves.
A few crew and passengers had died and one of my teachers had her legs amputed (due to staying in the lounge too long and being crushed by the chairs etc).
I think that if the boat passengers were all adult, then many more would have died, due to realisation and panicking. We were mostly obedient and kept calm (I guess because we couldn't fully comprehend what was going on).
I still hate boats, only using them if I really have to and I will never do an overnight trip on one.
(please ignore all of my typos)
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