Pilot Partially Landed On Steep Mountain In French Alps To Rescue Injured Skier

[Bama 1,743]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6568791/Skilful-helicopter-pilot-lands-mountainside-French-Alps-rescue-injured-mountaineer.html

Pilot partially landed on steep mountain in French Alps to rescue injured skier

Quote

 

A pilot partially landed on a steep mountainside in the French Alps with the aircraft's nose and rotors just inches from the snow during a dramatic rescue of an injured skier.

The skilful rescue took place during a ski touring excursion at the Anterne pass, in the Giffre massif mountain range in the Haute-Savoie region of the Alps in eastern France.

A French police helicopter was scrambled to rescue the skier during the trip in the area which is popular with British skiers and snowboarders. 

The group of experienced skiers were at the Anterne Pass at 7,400ft when one of them injured his knee. The guide called for help on the side of the steep mountain.

The pilot rested one landing skid on the mountainside as the spinning rotor blades and nose were just inches from the snow in order to rescue the injured man

As the helicopter came into land a fellow mountaineer can be seen waving towards the helicopter as the stricken 19-year-old man, named Bruno, lay on the floor.

Snow was sent flying around as the pilot partially made contact with the mountain to avoid the blades hitting the mountain. 

The pilot of the chopper could be seen inching the aircraft close to the off-piste slope with the front of the skids barely above the snow. 

The pilot managed to hold the vehicle in place so that the right-hand landing skid remained in contact with the mountainside.

This enabled a rescue team to climb out of the helicopter and get to Bruno, who had injured his knee during a conversion or climb. 

Once deployed in the site the medical team strapped up Bruno's leg with a large padded brace.

The helicopter then returned to make the same dramatic manoeuvre, resting against the mountainside in order to load the rescuers on board. 

 

 

[jtmwatchbiz 31,414]

3 hours ago, Bama said:

The group of experienced skiers

perhaps they can use this "experience" and learn to avoid putting rescuers in danger in the future?

4 hours ago, Bama said:

dramatic manoeuvre,

wouldn't a less dramatic tactic be to equip a copter with a winch to lower and raise stricken skiers as well as rescuers instead?   it is after all a mountainous ski area so basic prep of equipment for the terrain would be sensible.  for example...the coast guard doesn't land copters on the rough seas when rescuing floating victims.    

[Jester 3,618]

I have wondered why we spend tons of money to rescue people who put themselves in great danger to live on the edge and challenge mother nature.

Mother nature should be allowed to do her job and not be interfered with.  Darwin explained to us the proper order of things for a species to survive and adapt, but we insist on interfering, upsetting the balance of nature

. 

[jtmwatchbiz 31,414]

12 hours ago, Jester said:

I have wondered why we spend tons of money to rescue people who put themselves in great danger to live on the edge and challenge mother nature.

i agree.  if i hurt myself i have to pay for the ambulance ride to the hospital.  if some of these glory-seeking bored adventurers had to pay big bucks for their rescues they may think twice before pulling these stunts.. 

[Woolf 8,550]

Maybe they have to pay ??

I know that my travel insurance do not cover dangerous sports like skiing etc

Maybe a lift card at a skiing place includes rescue insurance ??

[Headshot 29,355]

These guys aren't buying lift passes. They are hiring a helicopter to drop them off on a peak somewhere and pick them up at the bottom of the slope. Dollars to donuts, this helicopter dropped them off at the top of the mountain before they had their accident. Do they have to pay? Well, somebody certainly pays. Helicopters aren't cheap. Who pays for the rescue depends on who hired the helicopter in the first place.

[liquido 1,562]

Remarkable piece of airmanship without those blades nipping tge ground..