Real Survival Stories Hovercraft Calamity: Out of Control
6 snips
Jan 29, 2026 Tim Benford, former RAF supply officer and older brother who survived the 1972 hovercraft capsizing. Andy Benford, ex-naval trainee who used dunker training to survive. They describe boarding the SRN-6, weather worsening, violent impacts and the craft flipping. Hear escaping through windows, reuniting on an upturned hull, rescues and the aftermath that changed hovercraft rules.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Day Trip Turns Deadly
- Andy and Tim boarded a hovercraft on March 4, 1972, expecting a short scenic trip across the Solent.
- A sudden squall and rough seas turned the ride into a life-or-death capsizing event.
Capsize And Rapid Flooding
- The hovercraft hit waves repeatedly until it tilted and capsized, throwing passengers around the cabin.
- Seawater began pouring in through ventilation nozzles, forcing immediate escape attempts.
Improvised Flotation From A Bench
- Andy improvised a flotation aid by pushing a dislodged bench, which contained life jackets, out through a broken window.
- He nearly lost his exit as the window submerged, forcing him to retreat into an air pocket before escaping.