‘We’re no heroes’: the dangerous, life-saving missions of Hong Kong’s Government Flying Service
- Rescuing people from sinking ships and burning buildings, the GFS crew have to stay calm amid frantic conditions. They recount their most memorable missions
On the morning of July 2, 2022, as Hong Kong was lashed by rainstorms from Typhoon Chaba, a Government Flying Service helicopter was on a rescue mission close to the eye of the storm.
Approaching a vessel that was reportedly in distress, the four-man crew, including co-pilot Billy Cheung Wing-kin, saw it was aground in shallow waters, with only part of the upper deck, wheelhouse and a tall blue crane visible, awash with waves from the raging sea.
The crane was listing at around 45 degrees, and the vessel had broken in two, the bow section now missing. Looking down at the steeply sloping deck, with three men desperately clinging on to a railing atop the wheelhouse, winchman Cyrus Szeto Chi-pang was reminded of a scene from Titanic.
Though initial reports had told of 30 people to be rescued, another helicopter had arrived a little earlier, and seen only three men at the wheelhouse, but ran low on fuel while searching, forcing a return to Hong Kong.
The helicopter crew swiftly planned a rescue: Szeto would be winched down while the helicopter remained above, as stable as possible in the howling winds.
While it was lucky that the remains of the vessel had grounded, the huge crane mast was a potential hazard if it suddenly shifted; and massive waves, maybe 10 metres (33 feet) high, posed another threat, with surging water pounding the main deck and lower wheelhouse.
