A Belgian pilot was lucky to escape after the small plane he was in broke down mid-flight – only for an emergency parachute to be deployed and save his life.
The incident happened near Bruges on Friday afternoon.
According to reports, witnesses heard an explosion and looked up to see the plane slowly descending to the ground.
The video shows the plane landing nose-first on a road in Sint-Andries.
The pilot managed to exit the plane and is being treated for minor injuries.
Officials said the pilot – who has not been named – was an experienced pilot.
And they suggested his life was almost certainly saved by the plane’s ballistic recovery system (BRS).
The special parachute can be mounted on light sport planes.
One pilot told the HLN website: “If you pull a lever in an emergency situation, a missile will fire with the parachute attached.
“I cannot comment on this specific situation, but it was perhaps the safest option for the pilot.”
