Coastguard, rescue helicopter involved in dramatic rescue operation off Napier coast
A dramatic emergency operation off the Napier coast saw a paramedic lowered into the sea to swim to a fishing boat, where a man was suffering from a Cardiac Arrest.
However, the man was unable to be revived.
The Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter and Coastguard Hawke’s Bay were called to the medical event on a recreational fishing boat 5km East of the Napier Port at about 10.10am yesterday morning.
Hawke’s Bay Rescue Helicopter Trust General Manager Ian Wilmot says the type of fishing boat made it hard for their critical care flight paramedic to be lowered onboard.
“When the guys got out there and found the particular boat in question, it was one of those fishing boats that has got a frame above the top of it and those rod holders, with a number of fishing rods sticking out, which meant it was not possible to lower the medic straight onto the boat,” Wilmot says.
This resulted in the paramedic being lowered into the water 10-15 metres away from the boat.
Fortunately, the paramedic, who is a "very strong swimmer" and works part-time as a lifeguard with the local surf lifesaving club, was able to board the boat and perform CPR before Coast Guard arrived shortly after and transported him back to shore.
Wilmot says the other person on the boat at the time had been "actively performing CPR" until they arrived.
Coastguard Hawke’s Bay president Henry van Tuel acknowledged the support in the rescue attempt from the Rescue Helicopter, Police, Fire and Emergency and Hato Hone St John.
"We also pass on our condolences to the fisher's friends, family and whanau."
Despite the Coastguard being a volunteer-run service, with many of those volunteers at home or work at the time, they were able to depart from base 16 minutes after receiving the urgent page.
“The Rescue Helicopter dropped a paramedic just before we arrived. We offered him and the vessel assistance, and we then followed them back to Napier," van Tuel says.
He says a medical rescue is rare given that their main callouts are for boats breaking down.
While water rescues are common for the helicopter, Wilmot says they can be vastly different each time
“In the year we do a number of water rescues, which can be a swimmer in trouble, can be a fisherman on a small fishing boat like this one today, we’ve also picked people off cruise liners at times, we’ve picked people off container ships, so water rescues take all sorts of shapes and forms."
