Have you ever witnessed an emergency while flying?

[AJB1884]

Yesterday i saw something in the ocean a long way out. I caught up to it with my Mavic. It was a man in a kayak who then fell out in the middle of the ocean. I was a reasonable distance from him and after he got back in i RTH (feels werid to get too close)

I did make me wonder, how would i have responded it the kayak sunk or a shark came etc. I guess I would have called 000 (emergency services in Australia).

Have anyone seen a emergency while flying and had to respond?

 

[WillyWonka]

Yes, first thing to do is call for professional assistance.

 

[geigy]

If I had been in your situation, I would be torn whether the guy was in genuine trouble or not. I've been in the situation of being in a tipsy kayak that was too small for my weight, and it can be very fatiguing as you fall over repeatedly. Luckily I was with an instructor who made sure I was OK. I really don't know if I would have called 000 in your situation or not.

I'm glad you brought it up because I do a lot of flying out over the ocean and this gives me some time to think about the "what if".

The closest I've come to that situation was my dad seeing a man swimming in the middle of the Yellow River in China. The guy did not call for help, or wave, but my dad told a crew member that someone might be in trouble. The boat did not stop.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

He might have lost balance turning around to see what the bloody hell that incessant buzzing sound was behind him

Although it looked cool out there at water level, it he was hot from paddling it is nice to have a practice evac and re-entry into you craft occasionally, though solo at sea isn’t easy.
Good you were able to stick around and ensure he got back in ok.

 

[AJB1884]

Yes, first thing to do is call for professional assistance.

Things turn out okay?

 

[AJB1884]

He might have lost balance turning around to see what the bloody **** that incessant buzzing sound was behind him

Although it looked cool out there at water level, it he was hot from paddling it is nice to have a practice evac and re-entry into you craft occasionally, though solo at sea isn’t easy.
Good you were able to stick around and ensure he got back in ok.

It would have been an awesome shot to do an active-track 360 closeup of him.... but far too invasive. He must have been about 700m from land.

 

[westonmavicpilot]

I witnessed this 'emergency' late last summer while buzzing around the beach in my town, Weston Super Mare in the UK - I'm sure the guy in the picture saw it as an emergency - I just found it highly amusing. The river Avon, and in particular Weston Super Mare has the 2nd highest tidal range in the world - when the tide goes out you need a pair of binoculars to see the water, and it leaves a vast expanse of flat sand / mud exposed. There are signs along the beach warning people not to walk out onto the mud flats and to be aware of the tides if parking cars in the designated areas on the beach. Every year there are a number of people and cars that have to be rescued due to people ignoring both the signs and common sense.

The guy in the picture below took this to a whole new level however. Apparently he had just got a brand new Range Rover and was keen to show off its off-roading prowess to his friends by driving out onto the mud flats when the tide was out. He drove out at speed and when between a quarter / half mile out tried to initiate a turn when the inevitable happened and the thing bogged down to its axles in the soft mud, he then made the problem worse by revving the hell out of the engine until the car bottomed out completely. The tide then turned and I guess he started to panic and called the coast guard. I wasn't able to stay and see the whole rescue but I heard they used ropes, tractors and a caterpillar tracked rescue tug to haul him out eventually. The pictures show the hovercraft deployed to go and help him and the assembled rangers, police, coast guard and spectators waiting on the beach.

 

[MavicCF]

Most of my flights are an emergency I'm not sure if that counts though...-CF