Solidaridad, Q. Roo — A family from London is thanking their “hero” pilot after surviving a plane crash in the jungle.
Their small plane crashed and broke into pieces while they were on a trip to visit Chichén Itzá. But William Carpmael, 46, and his family miraculously walked away from the wreckage.
Carpmael, a city advisory firm manager, was traveling with his wife Anna, 48 — and their two children, age 14 and 15 — on a light aircraft when it got into difficulties, leaving them stranded in the jungle for three hours as search teams tried to find them.
“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,” he tweeted.
“Alan” is their pilot, Francisco Alan Rodriguez, who suffered injuries to his head.
The tourist later posted a followup: “Three hours stuck in jungle 7 miles from the main road. Rescued by search planes, helicopter spotter, Army, Air Force, national, state and tourist Police and Bomberos fire brigade. Excellent hospital in Playa del Carmen. Thank you everyone who helped.”
Mechanical problems caused the Cessna 207 to lose altitude and then crash, breaking in two in a remote area.
The accident happened around 9:30 a.m. Thursday shortly after the plane took off from an airstrip at Playa del Carmen.
Source: (London) Telegraph
