Martin Antonenko
A Fixture
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2008
- Messages
- 8,995
Ramstein...
August 28, 1988, open day at the US military airport Ramstein in the Palatinate.
Around 350,000 people came to watch the demonstrations of several aerobatic teams on this beautiful summer Sunday.
The Italian pilots of the "Frecce Tricolori" make the start. With ten machines of the type Aer-macchi M.B. 339 Pan Jets start their half-hour show at 3:30 p.m.
The highlight of their demonstration is a figure called the "Pierced Heart". Here a single jet fighter crosses the trajectory of the other jets. A risky flight maneuver at a height of only 75 to 90 meters ...:
3.35 p.m.: The 38-year-old Lieutenant Colonel Ivo Nutarelli ...
... takes on the part of the soloist. He can prove 3800 flight hours on military jets. This time, however, he finishes the character too early. When trying to pull his machine over the formation, he tears off the left vertical tail and the left wing of another jet ...:
This badly damaged jet collides with a third aircraft ...:
The accident happens in a split second. Before the amazed spectators on the ground can understand what has just happened, the wreckage of the machines crashes in between them.
There are explosions and burning kerosene rolls towards the visitors like a house-high wall of flames.
The Americans are in charge of the medical and rescue services at the US air base. In this case, the DRK supports the armed forces as a private association. Among other things, the aid organization provides 216 emergency services, a mobile first aid station, two emergency doctor vehicles and four KTW. The connection to the operations command of the US military is established via a female US soldier.
Immediately after the accident, the DRK management informed the German police and the responsible rescue control center in Kaiserslautern on site. At the same time, your own helpers are ordered to the location of the damage to provide first aid. The DRK sets up collection points for injured people and tries to get an overview.
The connection to the operations command of the Americans broke down immediately!
The radio network is overloaded and the US Army has not made a telephone line available to the DRC. The helpers encounter many injured people, some of whom are lying on the ground or wandering around in the crowd. Spectators in shock look for their relatives.
Cooperation with the US rescue service only works to a limited extent.
There are significant problems coordinating actions. They are reinforced by the fact that the deployment site is very extensive, some injured people are transported away according to the “load and go” principle, and various German rescue services come to the deployment site without being asked.
In particular, the different rescue concepts of the German and American helpers caused criticism after the accident. The transport of 25, some seriously injured, in a normal coach...
... which arrives at the Ludwigshafen Municipal Hospital around two hours after the accident, caused a sensation.
In addition, infusion sets are said to have not been compatible.
The accused district administration in Kaiserslautern can refute the accusation that there were no joint exercises in the run-up to the disaster. In four exercises by German and American forces, among other things, the care of burn injuries was trained.
Balance of the accident in Ramstein: 34 people die; the number of deaths rose to 70 in the following weeks. 345 spectators were injured.
Today a memorial stone commemorates the victims ...:
Since the day of Ramstain, such air shows are banned in Germany without exception.
August 28, 1988, open day at the US military airport Ramstein in the Palatinate.
Around 350,000 people came to watch the demonstrations of several aerobatic teams on this beautiful summer Sunday.
The Italian pilots of the "Frecce Tricolori" make the start. With ten machines of the type Aer-macchi M.B. 339 Pan Jets start their half-hour show at 3:30 p.m.
The highlight of their demonstration is a figure called the "Pierced Heart". Here a single jet fighter crosses the trajectory of the other jets. A risky flight maneuver at a height of only 75 to 90 meters ...:
3.35 p.m.: The 38-year-old Lieutenant Colonel Ivo Nutarelli ...
... takes on the part of the soloist. He can prove 3800 flight hours on military jets. This time, however, he finishes the character too early. When trying to pull his machine over the formation, he tears off the left vertical tail and the left wing of another jet ...:
This badly damaged jet collides with a third aircraft ...:
The accident happens in a split second. Before the amazed spectators on the ground can understand what has just happened, the wreckage of the machines crashes in between them.
There are explosions and burning kerosene rolls towards the visitors like a house-high wall of flames.
The Americans are in charge of the medical and rescue services at the US air base. In this case, the DRK supports the armed forces as a private association. Among other things, the aid organization provides 216 emergency services, a mobile first aid station, two emergency doctor vehicles and four KTW. The connection to the operations command of the US military is established via a female US soldier.
Immediately after the accident, the DRK management informed the German police and the responsible rescue control center in Kaiserslautern on site. At the same time, your own helpers are ordered to the location of the damage to provide first aid. The DRK sets up collection points for injured people and tries to get an overview.
The connection to the operations command of the Americans broke down immediately!
The radio network is overloaded and the US Army has not made a telephone line available to the DRC. The helpers encounter many injured people, some of whom are lying on the ground or wandering around in the crowd. Spectators in shock look for their relatives.
Cooperation with the US rescue service only works to a limited extent.
There are significant problems coordinating actions. They are reinforced by the fact that the deployment site is very extensive, some injured people are transported away according to the “load and go” principle, and various German rescue services come to the deployment site without being asked.
In particular, the different rescue concepts of the German and American helpers caused criticism after the accident. The transport of 25, some seriously injured, in a normal coach...
... which arrives at the Ludwigshafen Municipal Hospital around two hours after the accident, caused a sensation.
In addition, infusion sets are said to have not been compatible.
The accused district administration in Kaiserslautern can refute the accusation that there were no joint exercises in the run-up to the disaster. In four exercises by German and American forces, among other things, the care of burn injuries was trained.
Balance of the accident in Ramstein: 34 people die; the number of deaths rose to 70 in the following weeks. 345 spectators were injured.
Today a memorial stone commemorates the victims ...:
Since the day of Ramstain, such air shows are banned in Germany without exception.
