Helicopter Heroism Award Nominations
| Youthtown Trust Taupo Rescue Helicopter Fishing Boat Rescue Amidst Cliffs and Rocky Coast in Stormy Seas | |
| East of Optiki, east coast of the North Island of New Zealand - 27 July 2008 | |
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| At 0500hrs on Sunday 27 July 2008, the then named Lion Foundation Rescue Helicopter from Taupo was sent by the New Zealand Rescue Co-ordination Centre to East of Opotiki on the North Island of New Zealand to a beacon activation from a fishing trawler. On our arrival we were faced with a 18 metre fishing vessel grounded on rock in very stormy seas following a severe storm. The vessel had 4 POB, all of whom had entered the water at approximately 0200hrs the same morning (in the middle of the storm and the winter months). We located two survivors at the base of a extreme rocky and jaggered cliff face, still getting pounded by the waves. Due to the high winds and cliff face, winching was not an option, so Advanced Paramedic Graeme Harvey was slung on a static line 40 metres under the helicopter and while himself getting knocked on the rock and hit by the massive waves, was lowered down and rescued the two survivors one by one. Pilot John Funnell skills were intstrmental in lowering Graeme to save the two surviving fisherman. The crew later lowered Graeme into the huge swell and managed to retrive the third person from the vessel but unfortunately he was deceased, but Graeme was able to recover the body from the swell. Later the crew found the fourth person, again deceased, and while trying to retrieve the body Graeme himself got washed into the huge surf and swept up a river mouth, having to release the body, and sustaining injury to himself. | |
