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A US Air Force Reserve plane flew straight into the eye of Hurricane Erin, with footage showing the pilot navigating fierce storm conditions.
US Air Force Reserve plane flies into Hurricane Erin (Video screengrabs/Social Media)
A US Air Force Reserve plane flew directly into the eye of Hurricane Erin, and a video of the same was widely shared on social media. In the footage released on August 16, the pilot of the aircraft could be seen braving the weather.
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Social media inputs suggested the plane landed safely despite the hurricane affecting the flight.
The video was filmed before Hurricane Erin neared North Carolina’s Outer Banks on Tuesday and threatened to whip up wild waves and tropical force winds.
Though the storm is expected to stay offshore, evacuations were ordered on such barrier islands along the Carolina coast as Hatteras as authorities warned the storm could churn up dangerous rip currents and swamp roads with waves of 15 feet (4.6 meters).
Erin lashed part of the Caribbean with rain and wind on Monday.
According to the Associated Press, forecasters said the hurricane will curve north and away from the eastern US, but tropical storm and surge watches were issued for much of the Outer Banks.
Early Tuesday, Erin had lost some strength from previous days but was still a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 kph), the National Hurricane Center in Miami said.
It was about 675 miles (1,090 kilometers) southwest of Bermuda and 770 miles (1,240 kilometers) south-southeast of Cape Hatteras and was moving northwest at a slower 7 mph (11 kph).
A tropical storm warning remained in effect for the Turks and Caicos Islands, where government services were suspended, some ports were closed, and residents were ordered to stay home.
On North Carolina’s Outer Banks, coastal flooding was expected to begin Tuesday and continue through Thursday.
A year ago, Hurricane Ernesto stayed hundreds of miles offshore yet still produced high surf and swells that caused coastal damage.
This is the first evacuation for Ocracoke since Hurricane Dorian in 2019 caused the most damage in the island’s recorded history.
About the Author
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
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