Workers at the Duran Audio factory in Zaltbommel, Netherlands, were given some extra holiday time when a Royal Netherlands Air Force helicopter took out power lines to the region.
The AH-64D Apache helicopter was on a night-training flight on the night of Dec. 12 from Gilze-Rijen Air Base when it touched high-power electric cabling near the River Waal, forcing the helicopter to land in a pasture near Vlijmen. The two pilots were unhurt, however more than 50,000 households and businesses lost power, including the Duran Audio factory.
“I was at home on Wednesday evening when I heard a strange low-frequency sound. I went outside to investigate and to my amazement I saw an Apache helicopter with its search lights activated looking for a clear space to land,” stated Duran Audio founder and President Gerrit Duran. “Shortly afterwards the alarm company rang to tell me that there had been a power loss at the factory and the news reports started coming in on the TV. It soon became clear what had happened.”
Power was restored the following Friday, Dec. 14.
