Jet Skier Rescued in the Wairarapa
29/11/09 1515
hrs
The Wellington-based
Westpac Rescue Helicopter rescued a jet skier who got separated from his ski and
was being dragged out to sea earlier this afternoon.
Police contacted the rescue crew just before 1:00 pm and reported that a jet skier was seen from the shore near Lake Ferry to lose his jet ski and was being swept out to sea.
The helicopter
was airborne four minutes later and arrived overhead at 1:15pm. A person on
shore who was watching the man through binoculars was able to talk the crew
directly to the man.
The 25 year
old Auckland man was winched out of Palliser Bay and flown back to shore. He
said that he had hit something in the water and fell from his jet ski.
Once on shore
the Wellington Free Ambulance Helicopter paramedic onboard the helicopter
checked the man and he was shaken up and a bit cold but otherwise OK.
"It was
certainly helpful having someone on shore keeping track of the man" says Dave
Greenberg, Westpac Rescue Helicopter crewman. "We were able to fly pretty much
directly to him and had him on shore within 20 minutes of leaving
Wellington".
The man was
not transported to hospital.
At 1:30 police
tasked the helicopter to fly to Titahi Bay where there were reports of an empty
kayak being swept out to sea. The helicopter was stood down when it was
confirmed that what was thought to be a kayak was actually a big log floating in
the water.
For more
information please contact:
Dave
Greenberg
Westpac Rescue
Helicopter
029 233
8284
