Rescue Mission Takes a Wild Turn – Authorities Try to Stop Him Mid-Flight!

A brave South Carolina pilot has come forward with claims that he was threatened with arrest while attempting to rescue victims stranded by Hurricane Helene in flood-stricken North Carolina. The pilot, Jordan Seidhom, was in the midst of airlifting people to safety when he says local authorities issued a flight restriction, ordering him to stop his life-saving missions.

Seidhom recounted how, while flying victims out of the disaster zone, he and his son spotted others waving for help nearby. However, despite seeing their desperate pleas, Seidhom was told to halt his efforts. “There were other victims. As we were flying out leaving the area, we spotted within 300, 400 yards of their location [people] were waving for help as my son and I were leaving,” Seidhom told Queen City News.

The devastation left hundreds stranded as the storm swept through, destroying roadways and cutting off access to basic necessities. After reading about a family stuck on a mountain in Banner Elk, Seidhom knew he had to act. “I thought, I have a helicopter, maybe I can help,” he said.

With his teenage son Landon by his side, Seidhom took to the skies, flying water and food to the stranded family. Both Seidhom and Landon are volunteer firefighters, and their efforts didn’t stop there. On Saturday, the duo rescued four more victims, including two women trapped on a mountain and two vacationers stranded in their Airbnb. “They only had one day of supplies, which was gone by Saturday. They didn’t have any food, water, no running water, no power,” Seidhom explained.

That night, the father and son slept in recliners at a nearby airport, preparing for another day of rescue missions. On Sunday, they found a husband and wife waving from their flood-damaged home. In a selfless act, Seidhom had his son exit the helicopter to make room for the wife, whom he flew to first responders nearby. “I originally left my son, co-pilot, on the side of the mountain,” Seidhom said, explaining the danger of overloading the small aircraft.

However, Seidhom’s mission was cut short. As he prepared to return for his son and the husband, a Lake Lure fire official allegedly intervened, threatening arrest if he continued. “I explained to him that I left my son on the side of the mountain, and I left another victim,” Seidhom told the outlet. Despite his pleas, the official insisted he cease all rescue efforts. Defeated, Seidhom reluctantly left the husband behind.

Soon after, a temporary flight restriction was enacted over Lake Lure, grounding Seidhom’s helicopter. By Monday, the restriction was lifted, and Seidhom resumed his efforts, this time alongside the Carolina Emergency Response Team. But the pilot remains troubled by the official’s decision, believing it endangered lives. “I can only imagine what the people were thinking. You’ve been stranded for 24, 36 hours…you see a lifeline fly over and they keep going,” he said.

Reflecting on the experience, Seidhom expressed regret that he couldn’t do more. “If I had to do it over again, I would have stopped and I would have rescued as many people until they decided they were going to arrest me.”

The town of Lake Lure did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Hurricane Helene, which struck Florida as a Category 4 storm, carved a destructive path through the Southeast, leaving at least 140 people dead. President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are scheduled to visit North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia to assess the damage.