Plane crash Brits in jungle miracle
Family walk away from Mexico wreck
A BRITISH family has walked away from a horror plane crash in Mexico virtually unscathed.
William Carpmael, 46, wife Anna, 48, and children Emily, 15, and George, 14, were going to visit the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza on the Yucatan Peninsula when their Cessna 207 lost altitude.
The light aircraft was torn in two as it crashed in remote jungle, some 10 miles from the nearest main road, and rescuers searched for three hours.
Local TV footage showed Mexican pilot Francisco Alan Rodriguez covered in blood and with a bandage around his head. But miraculously the Carpmaels, from London, were pictured walking away with no apparent injuries – and William was even smiling.
The family were taken to hospital for check-ups and William later said: “We are all OK, thanks to our hero pilot Alan and our guardian angels. George has a couple of stitches but otherwise just bruises and sprains. Certainly ticked the adventure box but we are very lucky. Alan is OK, but had a large head wound that we bandaged up. We’re back at the hotel.”
The plane had problems shortly after leaving Playa del Carmen resort on Thursday. The town hall in Solidaridad municipality, where the wreck was found, said: “The passengers as well as the pilot were rescued after a search involv- ing federal, state and municipal security and emergency staff. The cause of the accident is believed to be mechanical failure.” William, a City advisory firm manager originally from Hook, Wokingham, added: “Thank you everyone who helped.”