Set the scene.
In December 1947, Lieutenant Robert Reeb flew a Skyraider on mail duties between Ħal Far and the aircraft carrier USS Midway.
Here’s the twist.
Engine failure shortly after take-off forced him to ditch off Birżebbuġa. He escaped into the emergency dinghy before the aircraft sank.
Why it still matters.
A helicopter from Midway rescued him. Heritage Malta identifies this as the first documented helicopter rescue in the Mediterranean: the lost aircraft also records a new way of saving a pilot.
🧠 One to think about +
What does this story change about the way you see Malta today? Pick one detail you’d tell a friend — then check its source below.