Pilots open up about crash, miraculous rescue after nearly 20 hours at sea | KHON2

For the first time since their harrowing experience that included nearly 20 hours at sea, two pilots say they never lost hope and counted on one another to get through the difficult hours.

Source: Pilots open up about crash, miraculous rescue after nearly 20 hours at sea | KHON2 (http://www.khon2.com/2016/08/01/pilots-open-up-about-crash-miraculous-rescue-after-nearly-20-hours-at-sea).

Accessed on 02 August 2016, 14:25 hrs, UTC.

Reporter:  Howard Dashefsky.

Please click link to read the full story.

Comment:

The crash and survival of two Hawaii-based pilots reads like a Hollywood movie script.  But, for David McMahon and Sydnie Uemoto, the experience was all too real.  Both pilots sat down with KHON 2 reporter Howard Dashefsky and described their ordeal at sea and their rescue after 20 hours at sea.

Both pilots successfully ditched their twin-engine aircraft after both engines failed about 30 miles short of Kona.  They spent the next 20 hours staying afloat and swimming in the general direction of Hawaii Island, while search aircraft flew over them, but didn’t see them. Finally, on the morning after the crash, a search helicopter found them and arranged a pickup at sea.  McMahon and Uemoto said they “never lost hope and counted on one another to get through the difficult hours.”

Both pilots will return to Mokulele Airlines and continue their careers as pilots.

For the latest Hawaii Island, state of Hawaii, national, and sports news, please check out the blog sidebars. These news feeds are updated daily.

Opinions expressed in this blog are mine unless otherwise stated.

Thanks for joining us today!

Until next time,

Russ Roberts

Hawaii News Digest