A Life Flight team rescued six of nine people missing in the Kaitoke Gorge around noon today.

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Late this morning Police Search and Rescue notified Life Flight that nine people were missing after going into the gorge yesterday afternoon.  

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter was in the process of transporting a medical patient from Paraparaumu when notified of the missing group.  After transporting the patient to hospital and refuelling, the helicopter with a Wellington Free Ambulance Paramedic and a Police SAR staff member headed to the search area just north of Twin Lakes in Upper Hutt.

As the helicopter entered the search area the team was notified by Police Comms that three of the people had made their way out but there were six people still stranded up the river.

“After a short search we located the missing people on the river bank a few kilometre up the river” says Dave Greenberg, Life Flight Crewman.  “Due to the windy conditions in the gorge we dropped off the paramedic and policeman before returning to the river and rescuing the stranded people two at a time”.

The helicopter made three trips to the group, picking up two people at a time.

“Our pilot Dean did an amazing job hovering just above the riverbank so we can get the people into the helicopter” says Greenberg.  “It was very windy down there and the gorge was quite narrow so there was not a lot of room for him to manoeuvre”.

The six people were tired and cold but otherwise OK.   They were transported to waiting police and Wellington Free Ambulance crews who were able to check them out. 

We believe that one person was transported by road by Hutt Hospital – you would need to confirm details with WFA.

The Life Flight Trust is a charity providing air rescue and air ambulance services. It operates the Wellington based Westpac Rescue Helicopter and a nationwide air ambulance service. It relies on support from the public and sponsorship from partners such as Westpac to provide these services. Further information can be obtained from www.lifeflight.org.nz

ENDS

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