Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter at Napier Taupo Van Crash - Images

The first image below is the Greenlea rescue helicopter from Taupo – and the next three is of the Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter based in Hawke's Bay.

"Single vehicle crash on State Highway 5 Eastbound for Napier"

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A van carrying eight people left the road and went down a 10 metre cliff.

Three rescue helicopter services were despatched to help at the accident scene – Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter (Hawke’s Bay), Greenlea Rescue Helicopter (Taupo) and Bay Trust Rescue Helicopter (Rotorua).

The Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter was the first helicopter on scene and was followed by two other rescue helicopter services from Taupo and Rotorua. All six trapped people in the van needed to be winched out.

"The Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter crew completed four separate winch exercises to remove four of the six people from the accident scene. While this was taking place the Taupo Rescue Helicopter airlifted a critical baby to Hawke’s Bay Regional Hospital.

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There were multiple obstructions for the winch including trees and power lines.

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After the 4th winch the Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter crew assessed their fuel capacity and the decision was made to stop winching and airlift two females with spinal injuries back to Hawke’s Bay Regional Hospital. Taupo Rescue Helicopter then completed the remaining two winch exercises from the accident scene. Taupo and Rotorua Rescue Helicopter’s then both airlifted one patient each to Hawke’s Bay Regional Hospital.

A total five people were airlifted by rescue helicopter with the remaining three transported by road ambulance to Hawke’s Bay Regional Hospital.

ENDS

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