150 civilians picked up by special forced in RAF Hercules transporters praise rescuers as 'the best in the world'
Oil workers airlifted from remote airstrips in the Libyan desert praised their rescuers as they touched down in the UK. Special forces using two RAF Hercules transporters picked up 150 civilians – mostly Britons – on Saturday night as security continued to deteriorate across the country.
Mike O'Donoghue, 62, from Bridlington, East Yorkshire, was one of those who arrived at Gatwick last night. "My heart and hand goes out to them," he said about his rescuers. "They are the best in the world and they make it look so easy, like all good professionals."
O'Donoghue said he and his colleagues were robbed by local militia armed with guns and knives as they waited at their compound in the south of the country. Even as they boarded their rescue flight, he said, men armed with machetes tried to attack their aircraft. "When we got on the plane there were two locals attacking the tyres with machetes and the special forces told them to stop. Fortunately someone tackled them and brought these guys down but they were in a very difficult situation."
Arthur Piper, from Ormskirk, Lancashire, was another of the 116 passengers on the flight from Malta. He said: "From start to finish the situation was handled very well by the people on the ground … The day before, we waited around for six hours for an aircraft. That didn't arrive so worried you have got to be. But the local people were great and I have got to express our thanks. They need all the help they can get." Piper said he felt safe in his living quarters, but added there had been "a few marauding gangs".
Paul Powell, 34, from Glasgow, said: "We were told that we were going to get an army convoy to pick us up and take us through the desert to a secret location. It just happened. We got told that there was a plane and then go. It went smoothly." He described his rescuers as "absolutely brilliant" but added: "We have also got to thank the Libyan people and those left behind."