Khaberni - In moments that held the breath of the watchers, a helicopter pilot succeeded in carrying out a highly dangerous rescue operation, managing to save a young couple trapped by floodwaters for more than 27 hours atop a rock in the midst of a raging river in Mozambique, in an operation described as exceptional.
Recorded footage showed the moment the helicopter approached at a low altitude above the violently flowing waters of the Fondouzi River, amid fierce winds, while the pilot struggled to maintain the balance of the aircraft in extremely difficult weather conditions, according to the British newspaper "The Sun".
The teenage couple had crossed a bridge over the Fondouzi River to buy some necessities, before being swept away by sudden torrents resulting from violent floods, finding themselves stuck atop a large rock in the middle of the river.
They managed with difficulty to cling to it, at a time when the region is known for the presence of crocodiles, in addition to the presence of a dangerous waterfall dropping about 130 feet at a short distance towards the river course.
With the rains intensifying and winds reaching speeds of up to 60 miles per hour, the couple remained trapped throughout the night, while the water continued to rise around them, putting them at risk of severe body temperature drops.
With the dawn of the next day over the Gorongosa National Park, a glimmer of hope emerged after a local villager spotted them and issued a distress call. Due to the impossibility of carrying out a rescue by boats, it was decided to use a helicopter as the only available option.
Then, pilot Bernard Ferry was assigned to the mission, who arrived at the site to find the couple about to suffer severe hypothermia, after the water level had risen about three feet around the rock.
After removing the doors on the left side of the helicopter, a plan was made to extract the individuals one after the other, amid fears that they would panic or slip, which could have led to a disaster, especially with the presence of a dangerous waterfall just about 100 meters away towards the river course.
Ferry confirmed that there was no room for error, adding that the operation was extremely tense, and ultimately, the crew succeeded in lifting the couple into the helicopter and safely transporting them to the north bank of the river.
In a striking scene, the pilot noticed something unexpected after the helicopter landed, saying: "The strangest thing was that we noticed they still held onto the groceries they had bought."
This heroic operation comes at a time when the region is witnessing devastating floods, which have resulted in the deaths of 113 people over the past few weeks, and the displacement of about half a million others, in addition to widespread destruction in the agricultural sector.
According to official estimates, up to 150,000 heads of livestock, including cows, sheep, pigs, and goats, have drowned, while about 500,000 acres of agricultural land remain submerged.
