A helicopter pilot from South Carolina, Jordan Seidhom, has claimed he was threatened with arrest after conducting rescue missions in flood-ravaged North Carolina following Hurricane Helene. Seidhom, who is a volunteer firefighter, flew with his teenage son to help victims stranded in the devastated Lake Lure region. He had been flying water and food to people trapped without resources and airlifting them to safety. However, a local official allegedly told Seidhom that there was a flight restriction in place and that if he continued the missions, he would face arrest.
Seidhom explained that he left his son and a victim on a mountain, planning to return to rescue them, but the official stopped him, forcing him to abandon the mission. Although the flight restriction was lifted a day later, Seidhom expressed frustration, believing that lives were put in jeopardy because of the official’s actions. The pilot, who continued aiding the Carolina Emergency Response Team, criticized the decision, imagining the terror victims must have felt after seeing their lifeline fly away without helping them.
Hurricane Helene left a trail of destruction in the Southeast, causing at least 140 deaths. Seidhom’s actions underscore the challenges volunteers face in disaster situations, where bureaucracy can sometimes conflict with urgent rescue needs. Despite the hurdles, he remains committed to helping those affected.
