Road to Recovery – A Gerry Anderson A21 News Report

by A21 Reporter Andy Clems

We are relieved to report that Gordon Tracy’s condition is improving after the devastating accident that almost claimed his life just over a week ago. The underwater explosion, which destroyed Thunderbird 4, left the young aquanaut in a critical condition, with doctors fearing he may not recover.

Doctor Heinz Campbell remarked, “The fact we have have seen a small improvement at this early stage is nothing short of remarkable. Mr Tracy’s injuries were devastating, He managed to survive an ordeal that would certainly have proven fatal in 99 percent of cases. He is a very lucky man.”

The accident was far from Gordon’s only brush with death, however. Before International Rescue began operating, Gordon was a member of the World Aquanaut Security Patrol’s experimental watercraft division. Given his years of experience, he was tasked with putting the new Sea Skimmer hydrofoil through its paces. All went well until a freak malfunction caused the craft to veer wildly out of Gordon’s control, impacting the surface of the ocean at speeds in excess of 300 miles per hour.

Gordon survived the accident, but spent many months in hospital recuperating. While he was recovering, another prototype vessel, the Silverfin, was secretly acquired and transported to a Tracy engineering plant, where it was covertly adapted into International Rescue’s underwater rescue submersible, Thunderbird 4. The recent loss of the craft is a setback for the organisation, but Jeff Tracy declared, “If something breaks, we can soon rebuild it. With life, it’s different. Right now, Gordon’s recovery is the most important thing on everyone’s mind. We have auxiliary gear that we can use in the event of an underwater emergency call.

When asked for comment on replacing Thunderbird 4, International Rescue’s chief engineer said, “Thunderbird 4 has proven itself time an again as a reliable and versatile rescue c-craft. I imagine we will rebuilt her just as she was from the keel up, changing only some of the m-micro circuitry elements to improve her electronic systems.”

We at A21 would like to extend our best wishes to Gordon and the International Rescue team, along with our hopes for a speedy recovery. Stay tuned for more news as it unfolds.