Helicopter numbers cut for safety
THE RESCUERS RUGGED terrain and heavy smoke at the Pat Sin Leng Country Park meant only three helicopters could operate safely over the disaster area, the Government Flying Service said yesterday.
Despite seven helicopters being available, just four were used to fight the fire initially.
Aircrew Captain Pete Goddard said he made the decision to reduce the number operating over the range to three in the interests of safety.
He also decided the Royal Air Force Wessex helicopters based nearby at Sek Kong were not needed.
'It was my decision,' said Captain Goddard. 'We didn't need the services of the RAF because we had enough helicopters to cope.' Any more in the area would have made the risk of collision too great, he said.
'The area we were operating over was about 50 by 30 metres. Originally we were called about 11.40 am to what we thought was a routine hillfire.
'By about 12.20 pm we knew there were children stranded in the area.' The initial water-bombing operation then became a search and rescue mission headed by the Fire Services Department, he said.
Sikorsky helicopters were used to ferry Civil Aid Service volunteers to the fire in groups of four as they arrived at Flying Service headquarters at Kai Tak.
Other helicopters were used to carry rescuers from Plover Cove to the scene.
Flying Service controller Brian Cluer said pilots were forced to hover at 60 metres to avoid hitting the cliffs with their rotor blades.
'The crewmen experienced great difficulty carrying out their duties due to smoke inhalation and exposure to the flames,' he said.
A British Garrison spokesman said three Flying Service helicopters made RAF aircraft unnecessary.
