ISRAEL: WEST GERMAN CHANCELLOR WILY BRANDT NARROWLY ESCAPES WHEN HIS HELICOPTER IS SWEPT TOWARD CLIFF EDGE BY SUDDEN DESERT WINDS

Record ID: 377021

  • Title: ISRAEL: WEST GERMAN CHANCELLOR WILY BRANDT NARROWLY ESCAPES WHEN HIS HELICOPTER IS SWEPT TOWARD CLIFF EDGE BY SUDDEN DESERT WINDS
  • Date: 11th June 1973
  • Summary: 1. GV Helicopter landing with difficultly, troops look on (5 shots) 0.13 2. SV People trying to stop helicopter rolling back 0.18 3. SV Brandt helped out of 'copter 0.26 4. SCU Israeli ambassador receives treatment 0.29 5. SV Brandt away from helicopter 0.35 6. GV, Injured (2 shots) 0.38 7. SV, GV Brandt shown around Massada
  • Embargoed: 26th June 1973 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Massada, Israel
  • Country: Israel
  • Reuters ID: LVA8XOJO71L5IVXQ1FU8B63PFFM0
  • Story Text: West German Chancellor Willy Brandt narrowly escaped what could have been a disastrous accident on Monday (11 June) when the Israeli helicopter in which he was travelling was almost blown off a remote mountaintop overlooking the Dead Sea.

    The incident, in which three accompanying diplomats were slightly injured, happened a few hours before Herr Brandt ended his historic five-day visit to Israel.

    The Sikorsky helicopter was buffeted by strong guests of hot desert winds as it came in to land by the ruins of the 2000-year-old Jewish Fortress of Massads.

    Security men pushed the 59-year-old Chancellor out of the helicopter as it rolled, pushed by the sudden winds, perilously close to the edge of a 1,410 foot (434 metre) cliff edge.

    The helicopter came to rest only a few feet (metres) from the edge, its progress arrested by and ancient wall built by the original Jewish defenders against the Romans.

    Six other people, including journalists and security men, were slightly hurt as they tried to stop the helicopter being blown to the cliff edge.

    Shortly after the incident the Chancellor went on with a 90-minute tour of the ancient runs, seemingly unshaken by the incident. Later he went down the mountain by cable car and then flew by another helicopter to receive an Honourary Doctorate from the Weizmann Institute of Science at Rehovot near Tel Aviv.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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