Four Wesptac Rescue Helicopter call-outs

Four urgent call-outs kept Life Flight’s Westpac Rescue Helicopter team busy yesterday, including a search for missing divers, a medical emergency and two winch rescues.

At 1.16 pm Life Flight received a call-out to Kereru Track in Days Bay to help an injured tramper who had suffered an injury from a fall. The walking party was quickly located after a 6 minute helicopter flight. The woman was then flown to Wellington Hospital for treatment.

At approximately 5.30 pm yesterday afternoon The Life Flight Trust was tasked to rescue two stricken fishermen from Kapiti Island.

Life Flight responded in the Westpac Rescue Helicopter with a Wellington Free Ambulance paramedic on board. The two men had been fishing off the West coast of Kapiti Island when their vessel encountered mechanical problems.

The men were able to contact the Coast Guard before abandoning the craft and swimming to shore. Kapiti Coast Guard responded in the Pharazyn rescue vessel and called for helicopter support. The rugged shoreline was unfit for landing so the paramedic was winched 20 metres out of the helicopter in severe winds to retrieve the men who were then flown to Paraparaumu Beach for assessment and care.

The Life Flight Trust is a charity providing air rescue and air ambulance services. It provides the Wellington based Westpac Rescue Helicopter and a nationwide air ambulance service. Life Flight relies on support from the public and sponsorship from partners such as Westpac to provide these services. Further information can be obtained fromwww.lifeflight.org.nz

ENDS

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