‘Keen to get back to flying’

A pilot who was forced to ditch his plane in the sea is to continue flying after miraculously escaping serious injury.

Stunt pilot Colyn Randall has been flying since 1976 and was part of the Turbulent Display Team’s routine at the air show. When his singleseater plane ran into engine problems he ditched his aircraft in shallow waters near Bishopstone Glen, between Herne Bay and Reculver.

Turbulent Display Team spokesman Samantha Williams said Mr Randall realised during the display that there was a problem with his aircraft’s engine.

She said: “He looked to see if there was any way he could solve the problem, but there wasn’t a way so he called mayday and ditched it in the water away from the display line and any people. It was what we would call a textbook example of what to do.”

Mrs Williams added that Mr Randall is keen to return to flying, with the Turbulent Display Team next performing at an airshow in Surrey during the August Bank Holiday weekend.

She added: “He has got a full bill of health to fly again.

“He is fine. He had to go to hospital for what may had been a broken nose, but it was just cuts.

“He is overwhelmed by the reaction from the public who rushed to his aid – he is amazingly grateful for their wonderful assistance.” Airshow spectators have been praised for their quick-thinking and bravery after a display aircraft ditched in the sea, leaving the pilot trapped upside down underwater.

The aircraft from the Turbulent Display Team was taking part in the Herne Bay Airshow on Sunday, where 80,000 visitors had gathered along the seafront.

The pilot Colyn Randall encountered engine difficulties shortly after 3.30pm, called MAYDAY and ditched in the shallow water off the coast.

Witnesses rushed onto the beach to help pull the craft out of the water. About a dozen people waded out to help the pilot.

Eyewitness Nigel Hancock, who is himself an aviation expert, photographed the moment the plane crashed into the sea.

He said: “The display team was coming towards the end of its routine, and I saw a plane coming down low and slowly, beyond the parameters of its normal flight routines.

“I thought he was in trouble, so I took a series of shots of what happened. It looked to be a textbook forced landing.

“I saw about a dozen people going into the water which was very heroic, bearing in mind the pilot was underwater and strug- gling to get out.

“If they hadn’t flipped the plane over quickly it could have been a lot worse. Due to their quick actions the pilot was relatively unharmed.”

Commenting on our sister website KentOnline, another witness

Pilot Colyn Randall