Interesting that he had two minutes to consider the wisdom of his action.
jwm
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090416.wplanejumper0416/BNStory/National/home
Nunavut man jumps from charter plane
OLIVER MOORE
Globe and Mail Update
April 16, 2009 at 2:44 PM EDT
An “unruly” passenger threw himself out a charter airplane flying high over Canada's far north, leaving his community reeling and grappling for answers.
The 20-year-old man, who has not been identified, was on a small plane flying Wednesday from Yellowknife to Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. He began causing unspecified problems and pilots asked police to meet them when they landed.
But before they arrived in the small community the man managed to open the emergency door of the Beechcraft King Air 200 and jump out. The plane was flying at 7,000 metres and the man, who would have fallen for more than two minutes, has not been found.
A Cambridge Bay town councillor who knew the victim personally said Thursday it was a shocking end for the young man.
“Everybody's horrified and concerned and wondering why it happened. It's certainly out of character for the young fellow to do what he did,” said Wilf Wilcox. “There's a lot of concern for his family. This is just devastating news for a pretty young fellow like that.”
He said that the young man had been working as an apprentice mechanic in the remote northern community but had seemed to be drifting recently.
“This winter he seemed distracted compared to previous years,” Mr. Wilcox said.
RCMP officers said that the pilots “made every possible effort” to stop the man from jumping. They were unable to do so but landed the plane safely without injury to anyone else on board.
Mr. Wilcox said that a planeload of local searchers had gone to the area of the incident, which he said was about 160 kilometres from the town. If they find any trace ground searchers will go in, hoping for “some kind of closure.”
The general manager of the airline involved said that an investigation is now under way by the Transportation and Safety Board.
“Our condolences and prayers are with these people,” he said. “Nothing like this has ever happened before.”
jwm
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090416.wplanejumper0416/BNStory/National/home
Nunavut man jumps from charter plane
OLIVER MOORE
Globe and Mail Update
April 16, 2009 at 2:44 PM EDT
An “unruly” passenger threw himself out a charter airplane flying high over Canada's far north, leaving his community reeling and grappling for answers.
The 20-year-old man, who has not been identified, was on a small plane flying Wednesday from Yellowknife to Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. He began causing unspecified problems and pilots asked police to meet them when they landed.
But before they arrived in the small community the man managed to open the emergency door of the Beechcraft King Air 200 and jump out. The plane was flying at 7,000 metres and the man, who would have fallen for more than two minutes, has not been found.
A Cambridge Bay town councillor who knew the victim personally said Thursday it was a shocking end for the young man.
“Everybody's horrified and concerned and wondering why it happened. It's certainly out of character for the young fellow to do what he did,” said Wilf Wilcox. “There's a lot of concern for his family. This is just devastating news for a pretty young fellow like that.”
He said that the young man had been working as an apprentice mechanic in the remote northern community but had seemed to be drifting recently.
“This winter he seemed distracted compared to previous years,” Mr. Wilcox said.
RCMP officers said that the pilots “made every possible effort” to stop the man from jumping. They were unable to do so but landed the plane safely without injury to anyone else on board.
Mr. Wilcox said that a planeload of local searchers had gone to the area of the incident, which he said was about 160 kilometres from the town. If they find any trace ground searchers will go in, hoping for “some kind of closure.”
The general manager of the airline involved said that an investigation is now under way by the Transportation and Safety Board.
“Our condolences and prayers are with these people,” he said. “Nothing like this has ever happened before.”
