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Westpac Rescue Helicopter responds to Crash

Westpac Rescue Helicopter responds to fatal road crash

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.

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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.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

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