Chopper Pilot Speaks On Daring Rescue Of Kenyan Driver Trapped In Floods

Taru Carr-Hartley, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust chopper pilot who was on Wednesday, May 3 captured in a daring rescue attempt on a Kenyan driver whose fuel tanker was swept away by flooding water along the Galana-Kulalu causeway opened up on the challenging mission.

Taru revealed on Saturday, May 6 that he received a distress call from a Sheldrick Field Manager at Galana, around 4 pm on the day of the incident regarding the fuel tanker which encountered floods after ferrying fuel to the Galana National Irrigation Board (NIB).

The floods were a result of rising flood waters on the driver's return across the Sabaki River due to heavy rains upstream.

NIB had deployed a tractor to help pull out the lorry but by the time it arrived, the river's fast-rising waters had pushed the truck off the causeway and into deep waters, scuttling the rescue operation.

Taru was in the company of his younger brother, Roan Carr-Hartley and had climbed aboard the helicopter when they received the call.

"The lorry was pushed sideways by the rising water and two of its wheels went off the concrete causeway making it stuck," Taru told the Nation.

"Thankfully, we were in a position to scramble the helicopter as soon as possible and rush down there. About 45 minutes from the call, we managed to be on-site," he added.

Taru could determine that the driver was reportedly stuck in the flooded river in a precarious position and infested by crocodiles and hippos, but when Taru and Roan were seen to be trying to rescue him, he began making moves to get to the helicopter.

"When I looked through the chopper's window, I could see the windscreen was smashed and the whole cabin was filling up with water. I'm sure that it was extremely frightening and challenging to be stuck on that lorry for all that time," he said.

Taru however noted that hovering the helicopter just inches above the lorry was a tough task that required concentration, amidst dealing with a crosswind from his left side as well as the rushing water underneath, especially when hovering very still.

He thus had to focus on the truck intently so that he did not move away too far and being aware that one mistake could put Roan's life at risk.

"Roan was strapped in with a harness that we sometimes use for wildlife darting operations so he was able to get out of the chopper without being too restricted.

"I could see from the corner of my eye that Roan has gotten off the helicopter. So now he is standing on the truck helping the driver into the helicopter but I'm mindful since he's still harnessed to the helicopter so if I drift ever so slightly left I'll pull him off the truck and into the river and he'll be hanging below the helicopter," he went on.

Taru also had to ensure that the distance between the helicopter and the lorry remained constant throughout the operation to allow Roan enough time to get the driver on board.

The first thing the driver did when he entered the helicopter was to express his gratitude to the two brothers.

"I could feel a sense of appreciation and a massive relief for his ordeal. He knew he was safe and it was massive appreciation, gratitude and a big sense of relief. I think he was a bit overwhelmed and everything," he expressed.

Carr-Hartley Brothers Profile

The Carr-Hartley brothers were born into a family that was deeply involved in wildlife conservation and the daring rescue was just one of many ways these two brothers are using their passion for wildlife and conservation to make a difference in the world.