Wednesday 5 December 2007

NZDF Helicopters Evacuate Stab Victim

The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) 3 Squadron helicopter detachment in Dili were called out to evacuate a 13-year-old girl with stab wounds in Timor-Leste on Sunday.

The crew, with support from Australian medical specialists, were called out at approximately 2:30am Dili time (6:30am NZ time) to the town of Suai on the southern coast of Timor-Leste. Once on scene, the medical teams stabilised the patient before being airlifted back to the Australian administered Aspen Hospital in Dili.

Her condition is described as stable.

The RNZAF 3 Sqn detachment, as part of their commitment to the International Security Force (ISF) in Timor-Leste, has one helicopter and crew on standby for medical evacuation and quick reaction tasking 24 hours a day.

3 Squadron completed 500 hours of flying time in Timor-Leste last month including 14 aero-medical evacuations. The RNZAF detachment have a mandate to remain in Timor Leste until at least April 2008.

A new rotation of 144 NZDF personnel departed for Timor-Leste yesterday.

ENDS

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