Westpac Rescue Helicopter attends road traffic accident

The Wellington based Westpac Rescue Helicopter last night transported a seriously injured 23 year old male from a car accident on the Coast Road, south of Wainuiomata. The helicopter, with a Wellington Free Ambulance paramedic on board, was called to the scene around 7pm.

It is believed that the patient was in a car which swerved to avoid oncoming traffic, subsequently flipping onto it's roof. He was flown to hospital with serious leg and head injuries.

"The Westpac Rescue Helicopter service really proves its worth in situations such as these," said Life Flight crew person Ruth Zeinert. "Our flight time was around 5 minutes each way, ensuring a quick retrieval and speedy transport to specialist care."

The patient was assessed in the Emergency Department at Wellington Hospital on arrival and was expected to undergo surgery that evening.

ENDS

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