▁a ▁fire ▁in ▁the ▁cargo ▁cr ates ▁and ▁giving ▁their ▁position ▁as ▁ 5 1 ▁degrees ▁ 3 0 ▁Min utes ▁North , ▁ 2 7 ▁degrees ▁ 0 5 ▁minutes ▁West , ▁according ▁to ▁the ▁log book ▁of ▁US C GC ▁Cas co . ▁ ▁Unable ▁to ▁ex ting u ish ▁the ▁fire , ▁Major ▁Bell ▁made ▁the ▁decision ▁to ▁d itch ▁while ▁there ▁was ▁still ▁day light . ▁ ▁The ▁exact ▁d itch ing ▁position ▁of ▁ 5 0 ▁degrees ▁ 2 2 ▁minutes ▁North ▁ 2 2 ▁degrees ▁ 2 0 ▁minutes ▁West ▁was ▁radio ed ▁to ▁Cas co . ▁ ▁The ▁aircraft ▁land ed ▁safely ▁and ▁int act . ▁ ▁All ▁hands ▁then ▁don ned ▁life ▁pres er vers ▁and ▁clim bed ▁into ▁infl atable ▁ 5 - man ▁ra ft s ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁numerous ▁surv ival ▁supplies , ▁including ▁food , ▁water , ▁signal ▁fl ares , ▁cold - we ather ▁g ear , ▁and ▁" G ib son ▁Girl " ▁hand ▁c rank ▁emer gency ▁rad ios . ▁ ▁A ▁Bo eing ▁B - 5 0 ▁Super fort ress , ▁from ▁the ▁ 5 0 9 th ▁Bomb ▁Wing ▁Det achment , ▁was ▁en ▁route ▁from ▁R AF ▁L aken he ath ▁with ▁the ▁intention ▁of ▁joining ▁up ▁with ▁the ▁str icken ▁aircraft ▁and ▁esc ort ing ▁it ▁to ▁the ▁nearest ▁landing ▁site . ▁ ▁When ▁the ▁B - 5 0 ▁arrived ▁at ▁the ▁d itch ing ▁position ▁the ▁crew ▁sp otted ▁the ▁surv iv ors