Injured Wellington tramper winched from bush and flown to hospital
Sun 22/08/2010 6:23 p.m.
An injured tramper was winched out of dense bush today and airlifted to hospital by the Wellington based Westpac Rescue Helicopter.
At approximately 4.30pm this afternoon the helicopter, with 2 Wellington Free Ambulance paramedics onboard, was responded to an area between Puffer Saddle and Smith Creek, just north of Kiwi Ranch Kaitoki. A 55 year old Wellington woman had reportedly fallen while crossing a stream and suffered an ankle injury.
With no suitable landing area available, the paramedic was winched down to the injured tramper, who was stabilised and then winched into the helicopter and transported to Wellington Hospital.
"The party of approximately 6 trampers had done a particularly good job placing people at appropriate places on the track to direct the helicopter" said helicopter crewman Colin Larsen. "One of the party had tramped approximately 30 mins to gain cellphone coverage. The gps co-ordinates and other information passed to Ambulance communications made finding the injured tramper much easier that it would otherwise have been" he said.
The woman is currently being assessed and treated in the Wellington Hospital Emergency Department.
Earlier today the helicopter was called to Paraparaumu to transport an 18 year old Porirua man to hospital with facial injuries following a road accident in Paraparaumu.
For more information please contact:
Colin Larsen
Westpac Rescue Helicopter
021 720 512
