Chopper Crash

Friday, April 11, 2008

Sydney-based cameraman Ben Herbertson, 39, walked away from a helicopter accident in Tanzania last year.

"We were set to film over Lake Natron, which is made of sodium hydroxide and is the most caustic lake on Earth. The plan was to fly to the other side of the lake and do a circuit back along the edge and film the flamingos and the surrounding area.

We were flying quite low and without any warning we hit the lake. I remember hearing the loud sound of the helicopter skids hitting the water.

I had no time for fear. I was just thinking, "You f–king idiot, I can't believe you’ve stacked the chopper." The skids caught the water and we flipped nose first into the lake. The windscreen crashed in and we flipped upside down.

I threw the camera off my shoulder, undid my seatbelt and threw myself out of the helicopter. The next thing I know I’m in 1m-deep water, unable to see because the lake is so caustic it was burning my eyes. I was shocked, but my instinct was to walk away.

User comments

i was once in a elevator wearing boots suddenly my foot slipped forward and my shoes got stuck on door and it took my leg up with it after hitting stop button few times in panic it stopped i nearly lost my leg but did not just come out with torn legaments that healed after 12 months that was friegthning it was the old elevators i did not tell anyone about it

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