Advanced Search

Share Coverage



Category: Air and Space / Air Transport / Disasters and Accidents / Accidents / Emergency Incidents / Law, Crime and Justice

Ultralight crash survivor cries poor after four-year legal 'saga'

Tuesday, 14 Mar 2017 08:42:29 | Sallese Gibson And James Dunlevie

Shayd Hector has said he has exhausted his finances due to the long-running case. (ABC News: Sallese Gibson)

A pilot who ditched his ultralight plane into Bass Strait and survived with his passenger by clutching on to air mattresses has said he is broke after 11 court appearances since the event.

Shayd Hector, 27, was flying the Thruster ultralight plane from Bridport in Tasmania's north to Flinders Island when engine trouble forced him to ditch into the sea in October that year.

The Thruster ultralight that ditched into Bass Strait. Photo: The Thruster ultralight that ditched into Bass Strait (Supplied)

Hector and passenger Joel Nelson, both from Newcastle, managed to survive the impact and swim out from the plane, which had flipped after hitting the sea.

"I told my passenger to brace ourselves, seat belts off and get ready, doors open," Hector told media once back on dry land.

The pair clung to air mattresses and said they had feared shark attacks due to the fact they were bleeding from cuts and abrasions sustained in the crash.

Hector's flying instructor described his former student and his passenger as "very, very lucky" and said as far as he was aware "it's the first saving of anybody from an aircraft ditching in Bass Strait ever since the first aeroplanes".

Hector was charged with reckless operation of an aircraft, flying without a licence and piloting an aircraft after having consumed alcohol within eight hours before departure.

He pleaded guilty to reckless operation of an aircraft, with the other charges were withdrawn. After failing to appear at sentencing in January this year and arrest warrant was issued for him.

'Saga' needs to be resolved, magistrate says

Hector later presented to police and travelled to Launceston for today's sentencing where he told the Magistrate's Court he was broke after nearly four years of legal proceedings.

Defence lawyer Evan Hughes told the court he had only recently taken on Hector's case, after he had exhausted all funds on previous legal representation.

Mr Hughes said he was not in a position to advance the matter, as Hector's application for LegalAid had been refused and an appeal was still pending.

Magistrate Sharon Cure said the case as "a bit of a saga", which was still unresolved after 11 court appearances.

"It's becoming very old," Ms Cure told the court. "It's four years after the event. It makes things very difficult."

Ms Cure adjourned the case until May.

Shayd Hector and Joel Nelson speak after the 2013 ordeal in Bass Strait Video: Shayd Hector and Joel Nelson speak after the 2013 ordeal in Bass Strait (ABC News)

AustraliaPlus


 

Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.

沪公网安备 31010602000204号

Email this to your friend