A 13-hour LifeFlight operation to rescue an injured fisherman off the coast of Rockhampton, has been described as the most challenging mission of the pilot’s career.
The Bundaberg-based LifeFlight helicopter was called to a rough-sea trawler around 110 nautical miles off the coast on Sunday morning, after a 60-year-old man broke his leg on board.
The mission included multiple refuels, almost 950 kilometres of travel and maritime winch operations in rough sea conditions.
The LifeFlight rescue helicopter crew initially flew to the fishing vessel, where clinical crew, including a LifeFlight rescue crew officer and Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) flight critical care paramedic were winched down onto the deck.
The medical team assessed and stabilised the fisherman while working on the rolling deck of the trawler.
Because of the rough ocean conditions, the patient could not be winched up to the waiting helicopter and the aircraft crew landed nearby on Heron Island.
The patient was safely transferred to a smaller vessel and met the rescue team at the island.
LifeFlight Pilot Alex Dorr says it was the most challenging rescue of his career.
“It’s one of those jobs that you go ‘wow.’
“After 15-20 years in the game, it was absolutely a standout.
“They were very challenging conditions and challenging to get the crew on the back of the boat.”
The man was then flown to LifeFlight’s Bundaberg base before being transported by QAS paramedics to Bundaberg Hospital in a stable condition.
The Bundaberg-based LifeFlight helicopter and crew service the Wide Bay-Burnett region and beyond.
