RACQ CareFlight had a 15 minute window to winch a fisherman, suffering chest pains, off a trawler boat 100 nautical miles out to sea.

“That’s as far as we can go out over water because of fuel capacity.  We knew that by the time we reached the 100 nautical mile mark we only had about 15 minutes before we had to head back in,” said Jerry Ovens, Head of Check and Training for CareFlight.

The rescue off the coast of Mooloolaba was one of the most strategic undertaken this year. After hours of planning and preparation, the 41 year old man was safely winched off the boat and taken to the Royal Brisbane Hospital in a serious condition.

Once the boat was located a Paramedic was hoisted down to assess the patient. Both were then winched back into the helicopter where the RACQ CareFlight Doctor was waiting ready to treat the conscious man.

“The rescue was very much a team effort.  AMSAR (Australian Maritime Search and Rescue) sent a fixed wing aircraft all the way from Melbourne to act as cover for us. The entire time we were performing the hoist they circled above making sure everything went to plan, said Jerry Ovens.

The 41 year old patient had possibly suffered a heart attack. He was to undergo tests at the Royal Brisbane Hospital.

Media Contact Renee Buckingham  0421 381 023