To: Australian Prime Minister, Hon Anthony Albanese MP

CC: Mr Richard Goyder - Chairman of Qantas Group, Qantas Board of Directors, Ms Vanessa Hudson - CEO of Qantas Group, Mr Renee Obermann - Chairman of Airbus Group, Airbus Board of Directors, Mr Guillaume Faury - CEO of Airbus Group

I would like to ask if you have ever experienced a situation where your life depended on someone else's actions. If you have, you can empathise with the story I am about to share and understand why it has affected me so deeply.

For those who haven't, please try to imagine being on the verge of death, with no ability to save yourself, and having to rely on someone else to save you. How would you feel if your life was spared because of that person?

Personally, I feel an immense sense of gratitude and I am forever indebted to the three men who saved my life. Allow me to share my story. It all unfolded on October 7, 2008, but its impact has stayed with me ever since. At the time, I was a flight attendant on Qantas flight QF72 from Singapore to Perth. If you search for it, you will find extensive information on what happened during that flight.

During the journey over the Indian Ocean, I was attending to the meal service when the unimaginable occurred. Suddenly, I found myself on the roof of the aircraft, looking down at the floor. Before I could comprehend what was happening, the plane began to descend rapidly towards the ocean, seemingly destined for a devastating crash. However, I am here today because of those three men on board the aircraft. They are the reason I am able to share this story with you.

How did this even happen? How does a plane inexplicably fall from the sky, not once but twice? These are questions I grapple with daily. Instead, we should be asking who saved the lives of all 315 people on board.

Captain Kevin 'Sully' Sullivan and his flight crew, First Officer Peter Lipsett and Second Officer Ross Hales, are the unsung heroes who don't wear capes. On that fateful flight, while I was attending to passengers, Captain Sullivan and his team were responsible for carrying passengers, holiday-goers, businesspeople, and serving the needs of everyone on board. Little did they know the horrors that awaited them.

When one of the plane's autopilot systems malfunctioned, Captain Sullivan, drawing upon his Navy training, had to rely on his own skills to save our lives. Unfortunately, the Qantas manual did not provide any guidance for the failures the plane was about to endure.

The aircraft seemed to have a mind of its own, bombarding the pilots with simultaneous warning messages of a stall and overspeed, an impossible combination. Then, the plane suddenly nosedived towards the ocean. Even the cockpit three-point safety harnesses were insufficient to keep the pilots in their seats due to the intense G-forces. Captain Sullivan tried to pull up using the side stick but received no response.

Can you even begin to imagine the fear and helplessness in such a situation? Having no control over whether you live or die, with no understanding of why it is happening?

Just as the plane returned to normalcy after the unexpected descent, it took another abrupt plunge towards the ocean. In a swift and calculated move, Captain Sullivan utilised his military training and executed a manoeuvre he only knew from his time in the U.S Navy. Through his exceptional skills, he successfully landed the plane at Learmonth airport on the North Coast of Western Australia.

I am alive today because of these courageous men, these three pilots. They safely landed a plane in a situation where most of us would have been left incapable of comprehending the events unfolding. Captain Kevin Sullivan, First Officer Peter Lipsett, and Second Officer Ross Hales are the reason I am here.

So, why am I sharing this story now, fifteen years later? The incident was covered by the news and remains accessible on the internet, but closure seems to have eluded me.

After this event, not one of these three men has received official acknowledgment and recognition for their heroism.

This is a clear example of overlooking aviation bravery. In contrast, Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger and the crew of US Airways Flight 1549, who famously made an emergency landing on the Hudson River on January 15, 2009, were awarded the National Air and Space Museum's highest honour: the 2010 Current Achievement Trophy. So, why haven't these men from QF72 received the recognition they deserve?

These are the individuals we trust with our lives every time we board a plane, yet they have never been officially acknowledged or recognised by the Australian Prime Minister at the time, the Hon Scott Morrison MP, or Mr Alan Joyce, the former CEO of Qantas Group. I strongly believe that Mr. Joyce should have nominated these men for recognition fifteen years ago.

My question remains - why? Why did the former Prime Minister suggest that I nominate these men for The Group Bravery Citation, a process that takes eighteen months and an award that doesn't reflect the gravity of the events on QF72?

In a country that prides itself on leaving no one behind, why has it taken over fifteen years to honour the men who saved 315 lives by skilfully landing a plane that failed unexpectedly without warning?

Can you imagine being on that plane that day? Can you fathom sitting next to your loved ones, looking into their eyes, and accepting the possibility that you are about to die in one of the most horrifying ways?

What would have been the reaction of the government and the CEO of Qantas if that plane hadn't landed safely? Australia would have mourned. We would have mourned the loss of loved ones, of Australians who never got the chance to fulfil their potential. Qantas would have lost the trust of countless travellers.

In the former Prime Minister's response to my previous letter, he mentioned that there are four levels of awards for individuals, as well as an award to recognize the bravery of a group of people involved in a single incident. The Group Bravery Citation is given for a collective act of bravery in extraordinary circumstances that warrant recognition. However, this suggestion only belittles the actions of these men. The Prime Minister spoke extensively about recognising Australians of the Year for being role models, but did he ever pause to consider the group led by Captain Kevin Sullivan on QF72 for their acts of heroism in saving the lives of 315 passengers and crew members?

So, why haven't they been considered worthy of the Cross of Valour (CV), an award given "only for acts of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme peril"?

With five deserving recipients of this prestigious award since 1975, I firmly believe that these three pilots deserve to be honoured alongside these courageous and brave Australians. I realise that you are already familiar with their names, but I want you to understand why I believe they deserve this honour.

Mr Darrell Tree CV - showed incredible courage in attempting to save a crane driver and his son from electrocution.

Mr Victor Boscoe CV - risked his life to successfully pursue two armed men who had fled after a robbery.

Mr Allan Sparkes CV - rescued a boy trapped in a flooded underground stormwater drain, displaying immense bravery.

Mr Timothy Britten's CV and Mr Richard Joyes CV - jeopardised their own lives to save others after the Bali bombings and rescued a severely injured woman.

All of these individuals are highly deserving of the prestigious award for bravery for their acts of saving lives. However, I am left wondering why Captain Kevin 'Sully' Sullivan, First Officer Peter Lipsett, and Second Officer Ross Hales have not received the same recognition. They saved 315 lives on that day. They took control of a plane that seemed to have a mind of its own and made a split-second decision based on their instincts in the hopes of saving everyone on board.

If bravery is defined as possessing the mental and moral strength to confront danger, fear, or difficulty, then surely the events of QF72 align with this definition? Captain Kevin Sullivan, Peter Lipsett, and Ross Hales faced danger, fear, and immense difficulty in landing that plane.

Do I need to further explain this to you?

I am utterly perplexed as to how such a horrifying incident could have gone unrecognised for over fifteen years.

I am still alive and able to write this letter today because of those three men. I am here for my family, to care for my daughter who, on October 7, 2018, exactly ten years after QF72, was struck and run over by a speeding motorist while crossing the road. My daughter requires constant care, and I am incredibly grateful that Captain Kevin Sullivan and his men gave me a second chance at life so I could be here for her.

Many close family and friends have advised me to give up the fight and focus solely on my daughter's well-being. However, I cannot and will not do so. I owe it to these brave men to ensure they receive the official recognition they deserve. No matter how long it takes, We have a responsibility to ensure that these heroes are acknowledged for bringing 315 passengers and crew safely back to their loved ones, rather than in body bags.

Every breath I take today is because of these exceptional individuals. They embody the true essence of what it means to be a hero.

Before I conclude this letter, I implore all of you - Prime Minister Hon Anthony Albanese MP, Qantas Group CEO Ms. Vanessa Hudson, Airbus Group CEO Mr Guillaume Faury, and the people of Australia - please honour these men.

Think if it was your family on that plane, would you be fighting for the same thing?

Yours sincerely,

Fuzzy Maiava
TEAM SULLIVAN

Photo: Hero pilot and Top Gun 'Captain Kevin 'Sully' Sullivan'