A day with the Yaks

   Yaks line up. Picture: Paul Godwin

 

 

What started out as rather sedate Saturday afternoon enjoying the hospitality of the Yak fraternity at Virginia Airport, Durban North became a flurry of activity which could have easily have ended in tragedy. 

 

The day started calmly enough, sitting at the Wings Club enjoying a cool and welcome draught beer. The aviation enthusiasts arriving all keen to see the Yaks in action and enjoy the splendid Durban weather.

Walking around the aircraft one (it might be a guy thing) certainly feels the buzz, the majesty of the Russian machines in immaculate condition and viewing them up close is a pretty cool experience.

 

The Yak 18T getting ready and taking off , approximately 10 minutes later she was in trouble and on her way back to Virginia, crash landing approximately 1.5km from the Airport.  Picture: Paul Godwin

 After an apparent engine failure and thanks to the excellent abilities of the Pilot, a Yak 18T (ZU-BHR) managed a forced landing on the beach in front of Beachwood Country Club. It resulted in the aircraft landing half on the beach and half in the ocean of which the shore break quickly started consuming.

Rescue workers had to scurry to pull the wreckage from the ocean before it completely broke-up.

 

 

 

The Crash site in front of Beachwood Golf Club

All pictures courtesy Paul Godwin

 

It was interesting to see the dismay and concern of the Golfers who came to view the incident and the apparent nonchalant attitude of the fishermen who seemed quite unperturbed by the fact that a hunk of metal nearly fell on their heads and continued to merrily cast their lines.

 

All in all , certainly a day to remember.

 

Paul Godwin / Durban / South Africa / 19/03/2016