The Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter team called on their bushcraft skills with a weekend search that involved multiple landings, an on-foot river crossing, and a hike out of the forest.

Dispatched by the NZ Rescue Co-Ordination Centre just before 2pm on Saturday, the team headed to Whirinaki Forest Park – in the Whakatane district – in response to the activation of a Personal Locator Beacon.

A family on their third and final day walking the Waterfall Loop Track had pushed the button after a 16-year-old girl suffered a medical event.

“As they were in dense bush we planned to winch her out but because of the power limitations of our helicopter, we first landed on nearby farmland to offload some gear,” says base manager/critical care flight paramedic Richard Curtis.

“As it turned out the family moved to a different location so we were able to land, cross a river to get to the patient, then walk her and her father for two kilometres up to the road.

“But if her condition had deteriorated and winching was necessary, that offload could have cost us valuable time.”

The Eastland Rescue Helicopter service is in line to get use of an alternative BK-117 helicopter through its operating company Search and Rescue Services Ltd.

However, that process has been delayed as the aircraft has been needed for use in the wider SRSL operation.

“When the replacement helicopter does arrive its will really support our work as it has more power, a longer winch line and winch capacity of over 270 kilograms,” Mr Curtis says.

“That extra grunt and winch capacity is critical to our operations so we’re really looking forward to achieving that.”

The Whirinaki rescue was part of a hectic schedule for the Eastland Rescue Helicopter, which completed 11 missions in the seven days from Monday, April 22:

– April 22, 12noon – The team transferred a patient in serious condition after suffering a medical event from Gisborne to Waikato Hospital.

– April 23 – At midday they attended a medical event at Anaura Bay (patient flown in stable condition to Gisborne Hospital), and another at Te Araroa (4pm, patient did not require transport).

– April 26 – The team responded to three separate incidents on the East Coast, a trauma at Tikitiki (5am, patient flown in stable condition to Gisborne Hospital); a motor vehicle accident at Potaka (7.55am, patient flown in serious condition to Gisborne Hospital); and a trauma at Hicks Bay (9.40pm, patient flown in stable condition to Gisborne Hospital).

– April 27 – Before undertaking the Whirinaki rescue the team had flown to Hicks Bay in response to a trauma (8.35am, patient flown in stable condition to Gisborne Hospital) and to a medical event in Ruatoria (11am, patient flown in stable condition to Gisborne Hospital). Then just 20 minutes after their return from the Bay of Plenty they were dispatched to a medical event at Potaka (6.30pm, patient treated and did not require transport).

– April 28 – For their final mission of the week, the team responded to a medical event at Ruatoria (11.40am, patient flown in stable condition to Gisborne Hospital.)

And while the Eastland team was at work in Whirinaki Forest the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter was dispatched from Tauranga in response to a trauma at Te Puia Springs (dispatched 3.35pm, patient flown to Gisborne Hospital).

“As always we are grateful for support from our neighbouring services, which is increasingly important as our team gets even more busy,” says Eastland Helicopter Rescue Trust chair Patrick Willock.

“And the Trust, too, looks forward to the arrival of the higher-spec helicopter that will give them extra tools to continue their incredible, lifesaving work.”

CAPTION: Heavy bush cover in Whirinaki Forest Park created challenging conditions for the Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter team’s weekend rescue mission.