Westpac Rescue Helicopter responds to fatal road crash near Ward and then winch rescue in Wairarapa
Mon 28/12/2009 18:49
The Wellington-based
Westpac Rescue Helicopter has had a busy afternoon, responding first to a fatal
car crash near Ward and then a winch rescue in the
Wairarapa.
The helicopter with
a Wellington Free Ambulance paramedic onboard was called to St Hwy 1 in Ward
just before 2pm.
On our arrival
police, fire and ambulance were already on the scene. Three vehicles were
involved. A car heading northbound, which ended up overturned and two vehicles
heading southbound
We were told that
one person died in the northbound car.
The Westpac Rescue
Helicopter transported two moderately injured people - a 40 year old man and his
40 year old wife - to Wairau Hospital in Blenheim. The Blenheim based road
ambulance transported a third moderately injured person, from the 3rd vehicle,
to Wairau Hospital also. A child in 3rd vehicle was not injured in the
accident.
"We understand that
the people were all related, heading back to Christchurch after a holiday in the
Nelson region" says Westpac Rescue Helicopter crewman Dave Greenberg. "They
were following each other in the southbound lane when the accident
occurred".
Upon arrival at
Wairau Hospital the helicopter was asked to respond to the Aorangi Forest Park
in the Wairarapa where a man had fallen off a motorbike and injured his
back.
The Westpac Rescue
Helicopter pilot refuelled the helicopter while the two patients from the car
crash were brought into Wairau Emergency Department for assessment and
treatment.
The helicopter then
responded to the Wairarapa and after a short search the injured man was located
and our Wellington Free Ambulance paramedic was winched to the ground to treat
him.
"Once the patient
was treated by the paramedic and secured on the winch stretcher we brought them
up to the helicopter and then flew a short distance and landed so that the
patient could be secured inside the helicopter" says Greenberg.
The 29 year old Mt
Victoria (Wellington) man suffered a back injury when he fell off the back of a
motorbike heading up a hill.
His injuries are not
to be believed serious and he is currently being treated in Wellington Hospital
Emergency Department.
For more information
please contact:
Dave Greenberg
Dave Greenberg
Westpac Rescue
Helicopter
029 233
8284
