A "sea crazy" Australian helicopter pilot was arrested
on the tiny Pacific outpost of Nauru after illegally landing on the
island in search of sweets and soft drinks, according to a
report.
The 24-year-old's helicopter was impounded and he was locked up
after parking on a beach near Nauru's main supermarket while he
bought some chocolates and soda, a spokesman for the island's
government said.
He had been stationed on a Taiwanese fishing vessel for more
than two months and told police he was going "sea crazy", Nauru
spokesman Rod Henshaw told the Australian Broadcasting
Corporation.
"He said 'look, we're only a short hop from this island, let's
go and see what we can get in the way of a few snacks'," Henshaw
said of the sugar-starved pilot.
"So he and his passenger hopped aboard this little two-seater
and away they went."
Police were waiting when they returned to the chopper and it was
flown to the airport under onboard escort.
The pair were locked in the island's jail overnight Wednesday
and face a maximum Aus$100,000 (US$103,000) fine for unauthorised
landing as well as penalties for breaching the Immigration Act.