Video: Stolen Plane Emergency Lands Near Mavericks

Dashel Pierson
·2 min read
43

Half Moon Bay, a quaint and sleepy fishing town just south of San Francisco, is mainly known for one very big, very scary thing: Mavericks.

It’s one of the world’s most feared and revered big-wave surf spots, breaking off the protruding Pillar Point in cold, shark-infested waters, and hosting the world’s bravest heavy water surfers with a wave that is both beautiful and deadly.

But during a break in the wintertime swell season, recently, the action in the quiet town of Half Moon Bay was centered down south of Mavericks on Thursday, as a Florida man emergency landed a stolen plane on the sand at Poplar Beach.

Luiz Gustavo Aires, 50, had nicked the plane earlier that day on Thursday, February 8th, from Palo Alto Airport. After landing at Poplar Beach, Aires ditched the plane, and ran away. He was later arrested in Half Moon Bay.

Related: Sneaker Wave Sweeps Away Surf Spectators at Massive Mavericks (VIDEO)

“San Mateo Sheriffs Office are investigating how a man stole this red and white plane and landed it on Poplar Beach in Half Moon Bay, nose down,” reported NBC.

A woman, walking her dog on the beach at the time, saw the whole thing:

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“It went out that way towards Mavericks, then it came back around down the beach. It was flying real low. Then it landed…sorta. The tail was all up, and the nose was in the sand. He got out, said he ran out of gas, and walked off.”

How, exactly, Aires successfully stole the plane and took it for a joy flight still remains a mystery. And no word on what type of charges he will face.

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