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Fisherman Pulls Pilot From Gulf

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By Tiffany Craig Special Assignment Reporter

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Published: Thu, February 21, 2008 - 7:55 pm
Last Updated: Thu, February 21, 2008 - 8:18 pm

Tiffany Craig

The surviving pilot from Eglin Air Force Base has quite the rescue story to tell. So does an old wrinkled fisherman named Michael Pampanin!

The pilot was involved in a mid-air collision Wednesday afternoon over the Gulf. Pampanin was in the water trying to catch some red snapper.

Two airmen were doing routine training off the coast of Panama City. They crashed and both ejected.

A massive search effort quickly started and crews were called from all over the Gulf Coast. Mobile's Coast Guard was already doing training over the Mobile River.

Thirty minutes later, countless rescue agencies were circling the water looking for signs of life.

It didn't take long for Chief Petty Officer Berry Freeman to see a parachute. The Coast Guard quickly got on the radio and signaled to a nearby fishing boat.

Pampanin was at the other end of the radio. "We were fishing for red snappers and we saw a fuel slick where we were fishing and a little debris there. A little bit further on we see the pilot in the water waving his hands."

So, Pampanin and two of his crew pulled the pilot onto their boat! "We were there at the right time and I hope somebody's there for me at the right time if something like that happens but Thank god we were there for him"

The pilot was in good spirits and even offered to pay for a dinner to say thank you.

Pampanin says the pilot mentioned that he saw the second pilot eject but lost sight of him in the clouds. That airman was later rescued by another crew but died at the hospital.

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