Three kayakers saved the pilot like heroes in the Beards Creek area near the Lee airport. Neighbours by Beards Creek in Riva, MD, did jump into action after a small plane crashed into the river on Monday morning. They used various screwdrivers and shovels to pull their kayaks along the layer of ice. They had put all the effort into the crash site to reduce the pilot. Later, a Maryland Department of natural resources boat arrived at the scene.

• John Gelinne said, “This could have ended badly,” along with his son to the media.
• Duo witnessed the plane struggle in the air before the crash
• The plane turned over the creek before crashing into the waterway

Description of the plane’s struggle before the crash

John Gelinne and his son, John Gelinne Jr, witnessed the plane before the incident. He said, “It was heading – what felt like – right for our house.” Bella Wagner was at her neighbour’s home during the incident. She said, “It just stopped mid-air and plummeted down.” It simply catered for the ice and was sticking outside the creek for quite some time. The pilot did exit the plane before it sank into the water. Wagner said he immediately got out of the plane and tried to get up and walk or swim on thin ice.

Maryland News

The Father-son duo saved the pilot.

The father-son duo jumped into action, and then they threw the kayaks in, and then he got the shovel to move the kayaks. Gelinne Jr. is a marine, and his father is a retired naval officer; they pulled down the kayaks and ran towards the ice. Anne Arundel County police officer arrived then, and the neighbours had dragged down the kayak for her to get through! Gelinne said, “I just told him to grab the edge of the kayak and hold on tight.” He added, “And I’m going to pull you out of this water.” Lt. Jennifer Macallair from Anne Arundel County Fire and EMS said, “With the temperatures, like I said, in the 30 degrees, hypothermia can set in within minutes. And so their quick actions definitely made a positive outcome today.” Gelinne and his son said, “The only thing I’m happy about is that this guy is going to see another Christmas. This ended well.”

References:
https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/maryland/this-could-have-ended-really-badly-kayakers-save-pilot-after-crash-into-frozen-lake-accident-airport-ice-frigid-cold-hero-brave/65-58219c8d-a3b1-4564-8f7a-a2a69bc13a9e
https://localtoday.news/md/it-could-have-ended-really-badly-kayakers-rescue-the-pilot-after-falling-into-a-frozen-lake-2-60056.html