"Be seeing you... I hope!"

Why has Fireflash 3 mysteriously disappeared over the Atlantic Ocean? The authorities try to find the answer by sending a test flight along the same flight but when the crew find themselves in mortal peril, only International Rescue can help. But can they solve the mystery of the crashes?

In the London Airport Control Tower, the Lt. gives the Fireflash 3 flight to San Fransisco clearance for take-off but asks the crew to report their position when crossing the coast. Commander Norman watches the aircraft as it passes the sound barrier. Soon after crossing the coast, however, Fireflash 3 begins to shake alarmingly. The control tower recieve a mayday message explaining that the plane is losing height and giving the position before the radio is cut off.

The Lt. sounds the emergency alarm. Norman launches "Operation Sea-Hawk", launching the Air-Sea Rescue planes and diverting all ships in the area for a search. Nothing is found, however, and Norman is forced to cancel the operation.

A meeting is held between the International Air Minister, Norman, the Lt. and Patterson, an engineeer. The minister tells Norman to cancel all Fireflash flights until Patterson repeats his extensive checks of the design. The newspapers carry the story.

The members of International Rescue watch a report on the disaster on TV. Tin-Tin is sceptical that saboteurs could be involved again as too many precautions are now taken. Jeff wants to watch the tests very closely and tells Alan in Thunderbird 5 to monitor any related transmissions. Alan reports that Fireflash 3 was 50 miles away from its reported position at the time of its disappearance. Jeff also tells the other boys to be on standby.

Patterson is testing a Fireflash for problems. He has eliminated metal fatigue and is currently testing radiation which turns out to be safe as well. Norman briefs a test crew who will fly another Fireflash along the same route.

As the Fireflash takes off, Norman tells the Lt. to keep in constant contact. Alan monitors the exchanges and believes Fireflash to be off course again. The co-pilot tries to check the position but the elevator jams. The crew try to contact London but their radio fails. Just as Norman feared, the same problem all over again. A saboteur parachutes from the bottom of the plane. Fireflash is now diving and the controls will not respond.

Alan reports this to Tracy Island and adds that Fireflash is 180 miles North-West of where it should be. Jeff calls Scott, Virgil and Gordon from the games room. Fireflash impacts with the water, floats and gradually slows to a halt. The pilots cannot open the door and, tail first, it begins to sink. The saboteur is in a rubber dinghy and fires a flare. A helijet picks him up.

Jeff sends Scott in Thunderbird 1 to electromagnetically scan the area. Virgil, Gordon and Brains follow in Thunderbird 2 with Pod 4 on board. Brains thinks that the crew are still alive, trapped on the sea bed. Sure enough, they are there and have lost all contact with London. Virgil drops the pod and Gordon launches Thunderbird 4. Scott gives him the course to the crash position and he begins a search in the area.

The pilots see Thunderbird 4 and put on as many lights as they can. Gordon sees the Fireflash. Brains tells him that he will have to laser cut off the engines in order to make it float. Gordon swims up to the windscreen and uses a portable computer to explain the plan to the pilots. The pilot agrees by flashing a light.

Thunderbird 4 moves into position and begins to cut off the port engine. This completed, the starboard engine is removed. Slowly, the Fireflash begins to rise until it levels out on the surface. The controls are now on fire. Thunderbird 4 surfaces and Gordon begins to cut at the window. The co-pilot attempts to control the fire with an extinguisher. A lift is lowered from the nearby Thunderbird 2. Gordon opens the window and tells the pilots to climb into it when it arrives. Without another word he returns to Thunderbird 4. The pilots climb into the lift and Virgil hauls it on board. Thunderbirds 2 and 4 quickly clear the area as a massive explosion completely destroys the Fireflash.

At another meeting, Norman, the Lt. and Patterson argue over the cause of the crash. The International Air Minister summarizes that the problem has been isolated to the hydraulics system in the starboard wing. At Tracy Island, Virgil suggests that International Rescue should test Fireflash with Thunderbird 2 flying alongside. Jeff sends a letter to London and Norman agrees on the condition that Captain Hansen is on board. The flight is to be top secret, with no other aircraft flying close.

Thunderbird 2 is cleared for landing at London with Scott, Virgil and Gordon on board. Jeff tells Alan to monitor the flight closely. Scott joins Hansen in the Fireflash and both craft take off. As the Fireflash crosses the coast, Scott reports its position to Alan but Alan believes it to be incorrect. Scott adjusts the course to Alan's direction and London and Thunderbird 2 are notified. A faulty locator could explain a lot.

Suddenly there is another radio blackout and the Fireflash begins to descend. Fortunately, the International Rescue communications network is still operational. Scott reports that the controls will not respond. London suggest that he and Hansen bail out but Virgil has a plan.

With 15 minutes until impact, Gordon climbs onto the Thunderbird 2 lifting device. Thunderbird 2 flies under the Fireflash wing and Hansen opens the hatch. Gordon catches a fleeting glimpse of somebody inside but puts it down to his imagination. A clamp is fired into the wing and Gordon is hauled on board on a cable. Scott directs Gordon to the EPU. There are now only three minutes left.

Gordon sees that some wires have been cut. The saboteur is still on board and tries to shoot Gordon. A gunfight insues. The saboteur makes a quick getaway, despite Gordon's warnings that his parachute would not open in time. Scott demands to know what is happening but Gordon has no time to explain. Just as the plane is about to crash into the sea, he holds the cut wires together. Fireflash successfully comes out of its dive.

On Tracy Island, the boys watch a TV reporter anounce that Fireflash flights will resume in a week. Thanks to the involvement of International Rescue, a crime gang has been unmasked. Suddenly the TV goes off. Grandma tells them that a fuse has blown and now that Gordon is the expert, he will have to fix it!

Verdict: After a very grim start the story settles down to be an imaginative two-rescues-in-one episode, despite some plot holes. Not as good but still a worthy sequel to Trapped In The Sky.

Broadcast information: Broadcast on BBC 2 on Tuesday 17^th October 2000 at 6:00 pm and on Saturday 21^st October 2000 at 3:25 pm.

DVD availability: On Volume 3 and the Complete Box Set.

VHS availability: On the Pod 1 Box Set and the Complete Box Set.