Westpac Rescue Helicopter responds to Wairarapa incidents

Life Flight transported two men from separate incidents on the Wairarapa East Coast today.

A Life Flight crew responded to the missions on the Westpac Rescue Helicopter with a Wellington Free Ambulance paramedic onboard.

The helicopter team was called to the first incident in Riversdale around 1120 this morning.

On our arrival at Riversdale we found a 47 year old Manawatu man who was suffering from hypothermia after being stuck in the water for 45 minutes.

“As I understand it the man was retrieving a fishing net in shallow water when he got caught up in currents” says Dave Greenberg, Life Flight Crewman. “He was unable to get himself back to shore until assisted by someone from shore who saw him in trouble”.

The man was being treated by locals when the helicopter and a road ambulance arrived. The man was transported to Masterton Hospital in a stable condition.

As the helicopter left Masterton Hospital to return to Wellington it was sent to Tora, on the Wairarapa East Coast, to a man who suffered an injury from a stingray.

On our arrival we found a 21 year old Masterton man who suffered a minor injury from a sting ray barb stab to his lower leg. The man had been walking in shallow water when he felt sharp pain.

The man was transported to Masterton Hospital in good condition with a minor wound.

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

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