the goan I network
MARGAO
Residents of Sodovim ward of Verna panchayat rose to the occasion as the two pilots landed in their locality after they ejected from the aircraft.
Initially, they were taken aback when a huge explosion made them rush out of their houses, but when they saw two parachutes over the sky, realization dawned that a fighter plane had crashed.
While a couple of houses bore the brunt of the crash after the burnt wreckage landed in their backyard, Sodovim rose to the occasion to help the injured pilots. The residents not only made the two pilots feel safe but provided water and ice for the one who sustained injuries on his lips.
The two injured pilots were made to take rest at the house of Antonette Rodrigues before the residents helped them to get into the waiting police vehicles which later took them for medical examination.
Says a bird watcher, Justin Rebello: “I along with my friend was near the Ambular lake watching birds when suddenly we could see a fighter plane flying at a low height. Before we could do anything, there was a loud explosion behind us. Before we could reason out the sudden explosion, we could see the two pilots on parachutes descending over us. While one of the pilots landed near the house of Antonette, the second pilot was found near the house of Pascoal”.
Justin pointed out that the pilots sustained minor injuries on their legs and face when the parachute reportedly got stuck on the teak trees when they were about to land on the ground. “We took the duo to the house of Antonette and made the two pilots feel at ease. The residents came with ice as one of the pilots had a bleeding lip injury,” he added.
Luis Fernandes, who had come to his relative’s house at Sodovim said all the residents came out of their houses to the rescue of the two pilots. “We came out of the houses after the loud explosion only to find the two pilots descending on the parachutes. The duo landed with force after the parachutes were stuck on the tree when they were about to land,” Luis said.
Sodovim ward member Emiliano told The Goan that the residents of Sodovim, including the youth all came out to provide whatever help required by the pilots.
Nuvem MLA Wilfred D’Sa, who made his presence at Sodovim, before heading to the crash site, said he was supervising the road repair works at Nuvem when the loud sound followed by the thick black smoke indicated the aircraft crash. “When we all rushed to Sodovim we were told that the burnt wreckage landed on the houses of the residents. But, we were all relieved that the two pilots were safe and escaped with minor injuries”, D’Sa added.
