At roughly 2pm, the Rescue Helicopter was tasked by NSW Ambulance to a rescue operation on Yacaaba Headland.

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“Following reports of a patient falling heavily on an isolated walking trail, local Ambulance Paramedics and emergency services attended the location and commenced treatment of the patient prior to the arrival of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and Critical Care medical team,” explained a representative of the Rescue Helicopter service.

“Due to the terrain in the area the helicopter’s Critical Care medical team were inserted via winch into the scene.”

The patient was stabilised by the Critical Care medical team in situ, before the stretcher was winched from the location and flown directly to John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle.

The patient was reportedly in a stable condition by the time the helicopter took off.

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service performs James Bond-esque feats on a regular basis, with at least two cruise ship extractions so far this year alone.

At about 3:30pm on Thursday 13 June, the Rescue Helicopter responded to a request to land upon a cruise ship at sea, east of South West Rocks, winching aboard to assist a man in his 40s suffering from a serious medical condition.

On Saturday 20 April, the Rescue Helicopter Service responded to another cruise ship, also at sea, approximately 20 nautical miles east of Newcastle, where a man onboard was suffering from a medical condition requiring a NSW Ambulance critical care paramedic and NSW Health doctor to be winched onboard the vessel.

In both cases, the patients were stabilised before being winched or loaded into the helicopter, and transported to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle.

By Thomas O’KEEFE