18/08/2018
A terrible day yesterday for the NSW Rural Fire Service, fellow fire fighting & emergency services and of course, our aerial fire fighting industry partners with the tragic loss of Sydney Helicopters Pilot Allan Tull 'Tully'.
Tully was a widely recognised and highly experienced fire fighting pilot but more importantly, a truly valued, respected and much loved man and aerial specialist.
Tully paid the ultimate price yesterday afternoon, whilst serving and protecting the community, when his helicopter crashed during fire bombing operations on the Kingiman Fire near Ulladulla.
The fire fighting family are a close working team and the aerial specialists in particular are all very well known to one another. We send our very best to all the team at Sydney Helicopters, long term partners to the NSW RFS, who are understandably struggling to comprehend Tully's loss right now.
I would also like to praise all involved in responding to the crash and in particular our NSW RFS crews who were there on scene at the time, witnessed the accident and responded within seconds to try and save Tully.
In speaking with Tully's family and the team at Sydney Helicopters last night, whilst they are naturally devastated and struggling to comprehend the loss of Tully, they did take a deal of comfort and were most appreciative to know that crews who knew and cared for Tully's welfare were there in seconds of the accident and that he was not alone or isolated waiting for assistance to arrive.
Our thoughts, prayers and best wishes are with Tully's family, friends and colleagues, as well as all those who have been affected by the tragic circumstances.
Thanks to John Hanscombe from Milton Ulladulla Times for this photo of Tully (right) with fellow pilot and mate Kevin Drake who were working together on the Kingiman Fire.
