RAF Rescue 67 People during Cumbrian floods
Over the worst periods of the floods, the three RAF Sea King crews rescued a total of 67 people.
The crew of Rescue 122 from C Flight, 22 Squadron, RAF Valley, rescued 27 people over a marathon 11.5-hour duration search and rescue operation.
On this crew's final tasking of the day in the early hours of Friday 20 November, C Flight were sent to investigate reports of an elderly lady trapped by rising floodwaters on the upper floor of her block of flats.
She was spotted attracting the attention of the helicopter by waving a dishcloth from her partially-opened window.
Sergeant Keith 'Bestie' Best, the winchman, was lowered to investigate further. Upon drawing level with the window, it immediately became apparent that the building was in imminent danger of collapse as the fast-flowing water and debris carried therein was washing away the structure's foundations.
Sgt Best tried to open the window to gain access to the flat after seeing a total of four elderly people taking refuge in the upper-floor room, but the window would not yield.
With time now becoming critical, Sergeant Best took the gutsy decision to force the window, but, hanging from the winch-wire, he had insufficient purchase to force the window open. He therefore resorted to the only remaining alternative and punched his way through the double-glazed window.
Sweeping the broken fragments of glass aside, he managed to enter the room, reassure the occupants and, after clearing out the remnants of the glass, they were winched to safety into the Sea King hovering above.
Sgt Best sustained minor cuts and bruises to his right hand, but was unfazed by this and went on to care for those he had rescued before delivering them to safety.
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