I’m no hero says Briton, 19, who helped doctors in Canyon rescue
A BRITISH student has told of harrowing scenes as he helped rescuers for seven hours at the Grand Canyon helicopter crash which killed three Britons and left four other people fighting for their lives.
Conrad Fish, 19, had landed with a separate helicopter tour moments earlier and was taking photographs when he heard a loud bang behind him.
He raced to help and found the survivors seriously injured with their clothes shredded from the impact of the crash.
The teenager said: “They were all in a very bad way – they had open wounds all over their bodies and their clothes were completely torn off.
“Adrenaline kicked in and all I did was help carry equipment down and help the fire brigade down. The real heroes were the doctors that kept the survivors alive. I’m glad I could help in some way, but I wouldn’t say I’m a hero.”
Another witness told of hearing “screams which echoed around the canyon” as she also raced to help.
US nurse Katie Kineally was enjoying another helicopter sightseeing tour when the crash happened.
Ms Kineally, who treated the wounded and administered drugs by torchlight, said: “It was horrific.”
It is not yet known why the Eurocopter EC130 plummeted 600ft and crashed at the Grand Canyon’s West Rim at 5.20pm on Saturday.
The British group were celebrating Stuart Hill’s 30th birthday in Las Vegas. The Mercedes-Benz salesman, from Worthing, West Sussex, died with his solicitor brother Jason, 31, and girlfriend Becky Dobson, 27.
Jason’s lawyer girlfriend Jennifer Barham, 39, was critically injured along with their friends, newlywed couple Jonathan Udall, 32, and Ellie Milward, 29. The US pilot Scott Booth, 42, was also critically injured.
Student Conrad, from South Cadbury, Somerset, had been staying near Las Vegas as he travelled on a gap year with a pal and his parents.
The friends, who stayed to help rescuers until midnight, had decided to take a helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon on Saturday – and could have been on the aircraft that crashed.
Conrad said: “We were collected from a hotel near where we were staying. I was sat next to some of the victims on the bus.
“However, we had very little conversation with them and I didn’t even catch their names.”
Victim Jason was reportedly about to become a partner at law firm Shoosmiths in Milton Keynes, Bucks.
His grieving father Rev David Hill, a hospital chaplain in Worthing, and mum Sandra paid tribute to the “remarkable” brothers.
They said: “We always said they were so close they were like twins and we will find some support in knowing they were with each other to the last.
“We will thank God every day for having them in our lives.”