An Australian blimp pilot killed in a crash of his airship was being hailed as a hero Tuesday for saving the lives of three other people aboard the doomed craft.
Michael Nerandzic was trying to land a Goodyear blimp at an airfield in Reichelsheim, Germany, when his passengers, three journalists, smelled fuel and heard a loud noise from an engine, according to news reports, including one in the Daily Telegraph in Sydney, Australia.
Realizing the ship was in danger, Nerandzic lowered it to just two meters (6.5 feet) off the ground and told the journalists to jump, according to the news reports.
Time.com: Harrowing photos as blimp catches fire, crashes
With the loss of ballast from the three passengers, the blimp shot up to 50 meters (165 feet) in the air, caught fire and then crashed.
Nerandzic's wife, Lyndy, told Australia's ABC Sydney that her husband sacrificed himself to save his passengers.
"When there was trouble on the airship he brought it down to as low as he could to let the passengers jump out and he stayed at the controls," ABC quoted Lyndy Nerandzic as saying. "As soon as they jumped out, of course, being an airship, he knew it would rise up and it did. They found him still at the controls when it crashed. He also steered it away from his ground crew."
"When they told me what he had done for the passengers, it didn't surprise me one little bit," she told the Illawarra Mercury. "He was a character. He was larger than life. He was so, so generous."
When the crash occurred, the airship was returning from a trip taking the journalists – a photographer from the Bild newspaper and two from the RTL TV network – to get aerial shots of a local festival, Spiegel Online reported.
The owners of the blimp, the Lightship Group, said in an "in memoriam" announcement on their website that Nerandzic, 53, was "one of the world's most experience airship pilots," with 18,000 hours of experience piloting airships over 26 years.
"Our thoughts at this time go to his wife and family, his colleagues past and present and many friends worldwide," the company's statement said.
The Lightship Group describes itself as the world's largest airship operator, with clients including Goodyear, Met Life, General Motors, DirecTV and Sanyo.
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If only the general population would have an ounce of the bravery that this man had. He showed himself to be a true man of character. Well done, Rest In Peace.
I've located pictures of the crash I haven't seen anywhere else on the web, including one that appears to be right after the fire broke out...hopefully it can help others determine the cause of the accident...http://garagecar.blogspot.com/2011/06/goodyear-zeppelin-crash-video-and.html
Yeah unlike that air force coward that bailed and killed people on ground in san diego this guy saved lives.
Could I have would I have done the same thing? No. What a good and decent man. Shame theres more mes in this world and less hims.
None of you should be making comments because quiet clearly. None of you know about the laws of Physics. Mike knew what would happen if he did not get out . My heart goes out to his Wife.
God bless his family and rest his soul he sacraficed himself to save others theres no jokes on this matter so stop!
"being an airship, he knew ..." he wasn't an airship!
A true Captain of his craft, dying so that his passengers and ground crew could survive. He is truly a hero. Rest in Peace.
Pilots are the best! Don't ever forget Skully! http://www.taproot.com/wordpress/archives/12856
this is what a pilot is supposed to do. well done! i hope you children were left behind.
I'm sad for the loss of his life, the loss sustained by his family and friends. I'm grateful for his courage in the face of fear.
If only we could consider it of prime importance –and spend the time and money– to make our technology safer. Longer time to market and expense is, to me, worth it if it give humans a chance to survive.
I mean, the U.S. DARPA and NASA have announced, and are working on, the "Hundred-Year Starship" project that will send humans away from earth permanently, yet we can't even get blimps and airplanes here at home safe for use.
Priorities?
huh?
He was a great man use to drink with him in Hong Kong
All of you, quit arguing. A man died saving other peoples lives! People like you make us think that you should be the ones piloting the blimp and going down. No amount of respect can be gained from your foolish arguments.
To all of you who gave kind coments..Thank you...My Husband was the most experienced airship pilot in the world...He was the ultimate perfessional when it came to flying and he made a choice...not to save his own life..not to come home to me in australia..but to save his passengers and try and save his aircraft...He died in awfull pain 2 days before his 53rd birthday..We were planning to grow old together and I have lost the love of my life...I ask you please to have more care when you are posting..I have to many nightmares as it is..Michael has been awarded bravery awards for giving up his life..as nice as that is .it will not bring him home to us.....
Mike was a great pilot and a good player (especially bar hoping – a big fan of the gals). He was bigger than life – yes he got big. Blimp life on the road and in the air has its good and bad points – I havent yet seen one family or relationship stay together in this industry..You are the exception than the rule to stand by him all these years.. God bless.
All the best
Leslie
To all of you who gave kind coments..Thank you...My Husband was the most experienced airship pilot in the world...He was the ultimate perfessional when it came to flying and he made a choice...not to save his own life..not to come home to me in australia..but to save his passengers and try and save his aircraft...He died in awfull pain 2 days before his 53rd birthday..We were planning to grow old together and I have lost the love of my life...I ask you please to have more care when you are posting..I have too many nightmares as it is..Michael has been awarded bravery awards for giving up his life..as nice as that is .it will not bring him home to us.....
I'm sorry I didn't realize someone sacrificing their life for others (let alone strangers) is an opportunity for jokes....was that supposed to be funny or are you just practicing for the jack a$$ of the year award?
Not the right place for you nonsense. Go back to school, recess is over kid.