Rugby greats go bush for charity challenge

New Zealand Herald
16.05.13   

A mountaintop fundraising blitz by two of the countries rugby greats raised $33,000 for charity and settled another north vs south rivalry yesterday.

Cantabrian Richie McCaw and Aucklander Sir John Kirwan were yesterday helicoptered into a remote mountain ranges with just a phone, 12 survival survival items and ‘their wits’ to complete a series of challenges for Westpac Rescue Helicopter. It was a high stakes competition foe the pair who not only competed to raise donations from two rugged locations – McCaw on Mt Benmore in Canterbury and Sir John on Mt Heale on Great Barrier Island – but also over who would have to laud the other’s hometown on national television.

Challenges included making a bivouac, building a fire and demonstrating first aid skills while encouraging fans via social media to donate to the appeal.

When the final totals were announced on Seven Sharp last night, McCaw emerged the victor raising $17,096 compared to Sir John’s $15,292. The lesser sum ment Blues coach Sir John had to don a T-Shirt emblazoned with ‘I Love Christchurch’.

May is appeal month for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, which last year completed more than 5000

Rescue helicopter workers receive top award
www.nzherald.co.nz
07.05.13

Taranaki rescue helicopter workers have received a top rescue award for their work battling surging seas, stormy weather and a hazardous environment to save the lives of 10 people stranded on New Plymouth's Paritutu Rock.

Alan Deal, Andrew Cronin, Jayden Strickland and Phil Dwyer were presented with the New Zealand Search and Rescue Gold Award at Parliament today by Associate Transport Minister Michael Woodhouse.

Three other rescue teams were presented with certificates of achievement for the roles they played in other dramatic rescues last year, and two for their contribution to rescue services.

Mr Woodhouse said the recipients' actions showed remarkable "courage, compassion and commitment in life-threatening situations".

Last August a Spotswood College trip to Paritutu Rock turned to tragedy when students Stephen Kahukaka-Geyde and Felipe Martins De Melo were washed into the surging sea.

Taranaki Outdoor Pursuits instructor Bryce Jourdain dived in to rescue them, but all three died.

The rescue team faced massive waves battering distressed survivors who were stranded on the rock face and an unknown number of people missing.

Pilot Alan Deal, winch operator Phil Dwyer and crewman Andrew Cronin began winching drenched, exhausted and freezing students and instructors from the rock face.

The winch recovery was coordinated from the ground by crewman Jayden Strickland.

It was noted as one of the most difficult operations the crew members had ever been involved in.

Others recognised for heroic feats with a certificate of achievement were the Wanaka Police SAR Squad and Wanaka LandSAR teams who created a 'human dam' over 15-year-old Dion Latta, while he was trapped upside-down in a waterfall in the Motatapu Gorge, last January.

Dion's foot was caught between boulders in an awkward position on the edge of a three-metre waterfall, leaving him fully submerged, but able to breathe via an air pocket.

To rescue Dion, volunteers created a human dam to break the water flow, so another team member could go under the water to free the trapped leg.

After three hours, Dion was suffering from hypothermia and had lost consciousness. He was eventually rescued alive but in a critical condition, and died later in Dunedin Hospital.

Recognised for their work in a rescue mission with an achievement certificate were Cape Egmont Sea Rescue, Coastguard South Taranaki, Opunake Boating Club, Opunake Surf Life Saving Club and the Taranaki Police SAR Squad for the rescue of two fishermen at Opunake, last February.

The men were rescued from their stricken boat about 700 metres off the South Taranaki Coast near Opunake. The rescue was carried out in horrendous conditions in the middle of the night.

Also honoured with a certificate of achievement today were Bruce Joy, Mark Cannell, Russell Clarke and Steve Oliver from the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust for their efforts to retrieve a lone sailor from his stricken yacht off the Port of Waikato last March.

The team was able to winch the exhausted yachtie in wild weather and heavy sea swells.

Russell (Sherp) Tucker, and Gerard Prins, both from the New Zealand Police, received certificate of achievements for their services to Search and Rescue.

New CEO for Auckland's rescue chopper
www.newstalkZB.co.nz
08.05.13

The new CEO of the Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter has a lifetime of aviation experience.

After what it says is a thorough and robust recruitment process, the has appointed Virgin Airlines pilot Greg Barrow to the role.

Mr Barrow is also a self employed aviation consultant, and previously spent 19 years with the Airwork group of companies and has also served as Chairman of the helicopter division of the Aviation Industry Association.

He takes up the role in July.

Helicopter crash on Auckland waterfront
www.newstalkZB.co.nz
07.05.13

Two people have been rescued after a helicopter crashed into the sea off Auckland.

Peter Maloney and Nina Heatley managed to escape with only minor injuries, after the KC 518 Composite Helicopter was seen to go down in the channel between North Head and Rangitoto.

The two crew were rescued by the Navy and have minor injuries.

St John Communications Centre spokesman Norm Ngatai says navy personnel used inflatable boats to get to the site.

"The navy have utilised their RIBs and they've taken both patients with minor injuries through to Mechanics Bay."

Norm Ngatai says the pair were assessed at the marine headquarters at Mechanics Bay, to see if they needed further treatment.

The police Deodar ship was then sent to the scene to pick them up and have brought them back to the Westpac Helicopter base, where they are now being assessed by ambulance crew.

Our reporter at the scene says there's absolutely no sign of the helicopter on the surface.

She says they were rescued by a Navy boat that happened to be in the area then picked up by police.

"I've been speaking to paramedic Barry Watkin, who told me they're very very lucky, they're not injured at all. They say they're even cold, just a bit shaken."

The pair are now having a cup of tea and talking to police about what happened.

Police say the small helicopter sank almost immediately.

Fire Service spokeswoman Megan Ruru says their services are also responding to the crash.

"We've been advised that there is a helicopter into the water which is just off North Head. Two persons have been rescued and we're currently liaising with Westpac and the police."

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter was asked to assist, but isn't involved in the rescue.

The Fire Service is also responding to the crash.

Textbook escape from helicopter

It was a textbook escape for a man and a woman whose helicopter crashed into the harbour off Auckland.

Peter Maloney and Nina Heatley from Composite Helicopters have escaped unharmed after the helicopter's engine failed.

Westpac Rescue helicopter Chief Paramedic Barry Watkin saw the small helicopter go down this morning, and swung into action.

He grabbed a medical kit and headed out with the harbourmaster, while a rescue helicopter set off.

Mr Watkin says fortunately the helicopter sank slowly.

"The pilot and his passenger were able to exit quite quickly, like within seconds he said. They just threw their belts off, the movement stopped enough so they could open the door and get out."

Barry Watkin says it appears the malfunction which caused the helicopter to go down was semi-controllable.

The downed machine is from Composite Helicopters - a firm based on the North Shore, at the Dairy Flat airfield.

The KC518 is a lightweight carbon and Kevlar craft and described by the firm as the world’s first all composite frameless helicopter airframe.

They are sold as kits.