An RAF pilot who skilfully avoided a bus by three metres while flying refugees out of Afghanistan in August last year has said receiving an honour for his actions is “awesome”.
A devastating suicide bomb had been detonated at Kabul airport before Group Capt Kevin Latchman attempted to carry 365 people on board a C-17 plane.
Amid the “chaotic scene”, Group Capt Latchman made the decision to take off from a pitch-black runway following a power cut, narrowly missing the bus that had driven into their path.
On Thursday, he was given the Air Force Cross for leadership and bravery by the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace.
Group Capt Latchman told the PA news agency: “Receiving the honour today was fantastic, it's really nice to be recognised for something like that and I recognise it was a team effort.
“Everything about Operation Pitting was a team effort and I ended up being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but did the right thing.
“It was amazing to see the Prince of Wales today and have the family here, it's quite awesome, I've never been through the front gates of Buckingham Palace before and I may not ever do it again.
“I spoke to the Prince of Wales about the incident itself, he was aware of the incident and I spoke to him about my decision-making, what happened.”
Operation Pitting was a British military operation to evacuate British nationals and eligible Afghans from the country following the Taliban takeover last August.
Group Capt Latchman had made the decision to force the plane into the air early.
He added: “What was running through my head at the time was actually that clear decision-making process, it was quite instinctive.
“It was quite clear I couldn't stop, it was quite clear I couldn't get to my speed, so we were left with one option.
“The enormity of it hit in later once we were at a height, and that's when the shock kicked in.”
Kabul airport blast — in pictures
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hall of shame
SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.
LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66
