Woman rescued from sea at Plimmerton

The Wellington-based Westpac Rescue Helicopter rescued a woman from the sea just off Plimmerton around 1:00 this morning.

The helicopter team was notified by Police that a woman had gone walking into the sea near Cluny Road and could no longer be seen.

Police and fire-fighters on shore spotted the woman about 200 metres off shore just prior to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter arriving in the area.

The nearest rescue boat was 20 minutes away so a Westpac crew member was winched into the water to rescue the woman.

Once the rescue harness was around the woman the pair were dragged through the water towards shore.

"Hypothermia was our main concern" says Westpac Rescue Helicopter crewman Dave Greenberg. "If we were winched back into the helicopter it could cause a heart attack, so we were dragged towards shore and once in shallow water police and fire officers helped carry into a waiting Wellington Free Ambulance".

The 48 year old Plimmerton was treated for severe hypothermia at the scene and then transported to Wellington Hospital aboard the helicopter while being treated by two Wellington Free Ambulance paramedics.

She is currently being treated in the Wellington Hospital Emergency Department.

ENDS

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