Carl Hearps Wiki
Carl Hearps Biography
Who was Carl Hearps ?
The pilot who died in a horror crash on a remote bush north of Sydney was a veteran helicopter hero flying mercy missions in the Hawkesbury floods and bushfires.
Carl Hearps, 67, died when his helicopter crashed in dense bush north of Sydney on Saturday, sending thick plumes of smoke that carried rescuers to the scene.
Police rescue officers found Mr. Hearps’ body among the shattered burning wreckage, but were unable to save him.
Family
The respected and skilled pilot played a key role in fighting the 2019 wildfires and helping families stranded in recent flooding.
On Friday he posted a disturbing update on Facebook, linking to an image of tangled power lines nearly bringing down another helicopter at Wiseman’s Ferry.
‘Well, apparently there’s a lucky helicopter pilot out there somewhere!’ he posted on the chilling post.
Death
Just 24 hours later, shocked friends and colleagues were paying tribute to the beloved grandfather after his death was confirmed.
“So sad today to hear of the tragic passing of an incredibly experienced Airman, Carl Hearps, who worked with him on many fires from the South Coast to the Mid-North Coast,” said Firefighter Alex Millgate.
“Whenever she found out he was working on a fire that I was on, she always made sure to come by and say hi and see how our team was doing, even if it was as far away as Cooma.”
“A great loss for the fire community.”
Steven Alchin added: “A guy who was in the midst of all the disasters helping those in need!”
And Joel Rhind admitted: “The world lost another absolute gentleman and a great pilot, doing what he loved and what he did best.”
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Another family friend described him as a ‘jewel of a man’ with a ‘beautiful family who do so much for the community’.
“He loved flying his helicopter and always helped out when there were fires and floods in the Hawkesbury area,” the friend told the Daily Telegraph.
“He was truly a gem of a man who would give you the shirt off his back if you needed help.”
Social media videos revealed many of his vital missions as Chief Pilot of NSW Helicopters, ferrying vital supplies to isolated communities and dangerously dropping water on wildfires.
Career
He began his racing career in 1982, but he reportedly survived a high-speed boat accident at Hawkesbury in 2002 while competing in the Dargle Cup and his boat capsized at 250 km/h.
Emergency response teams called into remote bushland near South Maroota just before noon Saturday and made their way through difficult terrain and flood-affected trails to reach the helicopter.
Investigation
Other emergency crews were then able to begin making their way to the wreckage and found the pilot’s body in the rubble.
Police have set up a crime scene and will monitor the area overnight.
Recovery operations and further investigations will continue on Sunday.
The response team included teams from Police Helicopters, Police Rescue, NSW Ambulance Helicopter, NSW Rural Fire Service, NSW SES and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.
The Australian Transport Safety Office will lead the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident.
Carl Hearps Quick and Facts
- Helicopter pilot Carl Hearps died in tragic crash in remote bush north of Sydney
- The 67-year-old veteran hero was found dead in debris of smoking wreckage
- He made an eerie Facebook post about another pilot’s near miss 24 hours earlier
- Emergency crews from NSW Fire and Rescue responded to the crash at midday
Source: https://wikisoon.com/
