Westpac Rescue Helicopter Rescues Hunter

Westpac Rescue Helicopter Rescues Hunter Who Stabbed Himself

The Wellington based Westpac Rescue Helicopter has just returned from a winch rescue of a hunter who was accidentally stabbed.

As we understand it the 22 year old Wellington man was pig hunting with a friend. Apparently the man stuck a pig, the pig reacted violently and the man ended up stabbing himself in the buttocks.

After the accident the man's friend ran out of the bush and raised the alarm just before 6 pm. The accident happened in Long Gully, an area west of the Wind Turbine and North of the Hawkins Hill radar on Wellington's rugged South Coast.

The Wellington Free Ambulance Rescue Squad was sent into the area and reached the man prior to the helicopters arrival.

Conditions were quite difficult for the rescue with winds between 20 - 30 knots.

"The rescue squad helped guide us to the injured man which was very helpful" says Ruth Zeinert, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter crew person operating the winch. "The patient was in amongst low bushes in the middle of a dark valley so even with the rescue squad there it took a few minutes to locate them".

Once overhead a Wellington Free Ambulance paramedic was lowered to the scene and then the paramedic and patient were winched back into the helicopter. The man was then flown directly to Wellington Hospital, a three minute flight, and taken to the emergency department.

"The man ended up only having moderate injuries but it would have taken hours for them to walk him out of the bush" continues Zeinert.

The man is currently in Wellington Hospital in a moderate and stable condition.

ENDS

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