Yannick Daynez, the pilot of the rescue helicopter that took seven-time Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher to the hospital after his accident on December 29, 2013, has spoken about the details of that fateful day.
Idman.Biz reports that the incident occurred at the Meribel ski resort in the French Alps.
"He got into the helicopter with the rescue doctor and said to me: "We're going to see Schumacher!" At first I thought he was joking. But when the commander ordered us to remove our microphones and GoPros, and forbade journalists from flying with us, I knew it was true. Pressure? I felt it subconsciously because I knew people idolized him. But for me, he was just another person with serious injuries.
We put Schumacher on a vacuum mattress and then transferred him to the helicopter for the flight to the hospital in Grenoble. The 25-minute flight passed almost in complete silence and we had no information about the extent of his injuries. "A few days later, after delivering another patient, I was shocked by what I saw outside the hospital. There were buses, red flags and crowds everywhere - the hospital area had turned into a real Formula 1 race track. It was unbelievable," said Daynez.