“I didn’t believe in fate before, I kind of do now”

Wednesday 24 October 2018

A Jersey couple holidaying in the South Pacific miraculously escaped unscathed yesterday after their plane crashed on a tiny island, due to engine failure.

Local sportsperson Jason Fox and his wife, Sally, had been travelling in the islands of Vanuatu after spending time in Fiji this month.

On Tuesday, the newlyweds had been on their way back from a daytrip visiting volcanoes in an air taxi when the plane’s engine went into meltdown, forcing an emergency crash landing. 

Fortunately, this happened just as they were soaring over Erromango, the fourth largest island in the 80-strong archipelago, avoiding a landing in water.

Pictured: Vanuatu, an archipelago in the South Pacific, was where the crash occurred.

Better yet, the island had a manned grassy runway. 

Having escaped the dramatic landing in Dillon’s Bay without serious injury, Jason immediately took to Instagram to share the dramatic turn of events. 

Broadcasting from the runway in what appeared to be an emergency lifejacket (pictured top), the competitive high jumper told followers: “So, we’ve just been in a plane crash. I’m not joking.”

Pictured: The plane crash-landed on an island with a grassy runway.

He continued: “We were flying back from a volcano trip over the islands of Vanuatu and on our way back the engine failed but thankfully we were… flying past an island with a grass runway so, fate. 

“I didn’t believe in it before, I kind of do now.” 

Although Jason and his wife had were unhurt, Jason revealed that a man on the plane was believed to have broken his leg.

 Pictured: Including the pilot, there were five people on board the plane.

He later said that the group were now “stranded effectively on a tiny little island in Vanuatu... surrounded by jungle”, stating with concern that he had “no idea” how they’d make it back to capital city Port Vila. 

“Hopefully not on a little plane,” he added. 

According to local media sources, it was not too long before help arrived.

#Vanuatu Air Taxi crashed during takeoff at Dillon's Bay aerodrome on the island of Erromango! No casualties. Photo/MP Tomker Netvueni pic.twitter.com/1xbhufxxUh

— Vanuatu Social Media (@V4NU4TU) October 23, 2018

After assessing the situation, Vanuatu MP Tomkor Netvunei was reported to have ensured that all passengers were transported back to the Erromango Air Terminal, and boarded an Air Vanuatu plane back to Port Vila. 

The full circumstances of the apparent engine failure remain unknown, but Vanuatu media said that this is now subject to investigation.

Meanwhile, locals praised the pilot’s actions on social media.

Pictured: One man was believed to have suffered a leg injury but no one was seriously harmed.

One Facebooker wrote: “Congratulations to the well trained Young Ni Vanuatu Pilot who put it down in a forced landing without seriously injuring any one. I would think he should be give pat on the back for his skills in landing it safely and the Company congratulated for getting every on off the island so quickly too. All the best with its recovery too!” 

Another simply added: “Any landing with no injuries is a good landing. Superb airmanship Captain. Respect.”

Photos courtesy of Tomker Netvunei MP.