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Gabriel Richard: Master of
his destiny
By Kizito Makoye
Last week, Gabriel Richard, the pilot flying the four-seater 5H/PDK
Cessna-172 aircraft owned by Tropical Air from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar,
literally jumped for his life along with his two passengers as the engine of
the plane failed mid air. It was quite a shock for Richard, who had just
secured a new job with the airline. It was also a miraculous escape
considering it is rare for people to survive such accidents.
The Express reporter paid Gabriel a courtesy call at his home in Mbweni,
Zanzibar, and had this exclusive interview with him.
The Express: What thoughts were running through your mind as you struggled
to stay alive in the water?
Gabriel: I knew for sure we would survive because we had managed to get
out of the plane, which sank immediately. I told my passengers we were not
going to die.
The Express: In most plane accidents, there are normally explosions. Did you
think the plane you were flying would explode?
Gabriel: No, when the engine stops, the likelihood of explosion is very
little. The fuel does not explode like that. It is like filling a bottle
with fuel and throwing it away - it won’t explode.
The Express: For all those hours you were stranded in water, did you try to
swim to the coast or to the vessels you saw at a distance?
Gabriel: Yes, we saw vessels but they were quite far and the drift was
too strong for us to reach them.
The Express: Did you ever think you would be involved in such an accident
and does it, in anyway, make you feel like quitting your job?
Gabriel: As a pilot you are prepared for everything…such things happen ,
it is just like any other accident. I can’t say the accident will make me
leave my job…I will continue. I might need rest for some time though. I will
travel to Switzerland for 10 days before I resume flying.
The Express: Do you feel saddened by the fact that you very nearly died
within a short period of joining the new company?
Gabriel: I do not regret it. It was not my fault - as you know the
engine failed. But I do feel sad about losing some of my precious belongings
such as my expensive head phone, my licence and passport. Otherwise, it was
an accident that could happen any where, any time.
The Express: Did you always want to become a pilot?
Gabriel: Being a pilot was something I had dreamt about since childhood.
It was an ambition I worked very hard to fulfill. I faced many challenges
but was determined to make this dream come true.
The Express: How did you start your career? Did you intentionally choose to
fly small aircraft?
Gabriel: The training is the same for flying big and small aircraft. It
is upon the person to decide which direction they want to take. But you do
have to be consistent; you must stick to one of the two.
For instance, after completing my training in Australia I got a job there
and was flying small aircraft for two and a half years. Thereafter, I
travelled to Africa looking for a job in the same field. I worked in South
Africa, Botswana and Namibia before I got a job in Tanzania with Tropical
Air.
The Express: How long have you been with Tropical Air?
Gabriel: I have been here for just two months, flying small aircraft to
several destinations such as Mafia, Zanzibar, Pemba and Dar es Salaam.
The Express: Would it be an easy process for you to get a new licence so
that you continue with your job, or do you think it will cost you to get it?
Gabriel: I do not think it is difficult to get a new licence. I will
need to contact the civil aviation authority. They are the ones who issue
licences, you know, before you get a job as a pilot in the country.
The Express: When the plane you were flying experienced problems, did you
make any efforts to get help from the control room?
Gabriel: You do not ask for help. You have to report the nature of the
problem and the location. The attendant at the control room is not supposed
to give any suggestions in such situations; as a pilot you are the master of
your own destiny.
The Express: Have your relatives been informed of the tragedy and the fact
that you survived?
Gabriel: Yes, the Swiss Embassy has been following the matter closely
and I am told my relatives have been informed and they are happy that I
survived the accident.
The Express: What were you doing before you became a pilot?
Gabriel: I used to teach. I have a diploma in education, and for many
years, I was teaching at a high school, I have also been involved in other
activities. At one point in time, I used to manage a bar, I was also a
librarian. I enjoyed everything that I ever did.
The Express: Are you married, do you have a family?
Gabriel: No, I am not married and do not have a family either. It is a
very big decision to make, you need to be prepared and settled.
The Express: Tell us a bit about your family.
Gabriel: I was born in 1971 in Schmerkon town. We are five in our family
and I am the first born of my parents. All my relatives are in Switzerland.
I was brought up in a religious environment.
The Express: What do you like to do in your free time?
Gabriel: I like sports and travelling; that’s part and parcel of my job.
I like socialising with different people, especially colleagues, and I also
like reading extensively. Whenever I have the time I keep myself abreast
with major news developments through television.
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