INJURED TOURIST WINCHED FROM HOOK REEF AFTER FALL FROM SAIL BOAT

November 21, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TOURIST WINCHED FROM HOOK REEF AFTER FALL FROM SAIL BOAT

RACQ CQ Rescue has winched an injured tourist from a 36-foot sail boat near Hook Reef today.

The Mackay-based rescue helicopter was tasked by Queensland Health about 11.30am when a call was received that a 37-year-old New South Wales tourist had suffered a serious arm injury after falling from a mono hull vessel, Scarborough, near Hardy Reef, about 150km north of Mackay.

The helicopter arrived on scene within 30 minutes of departure from Mackay and communicated directly with the vessel and three people on board to formulate a plan to retrieve the patient. The woman had suffered a seriously dislocated shoulder when she fell off the main boat into a small tender.

A decision was made by the helicopter crew to winch the rescue crewman down into the water adjacent to the main boat at anchor. Once in the water, the rescue crewman swam towards the main vessel to assess the patient and make preparations for a winch retrieval as the helicopter orbited the area overhead.

Both the rescue crewman and the tourist were relocated to a small tender which was then motored about 150 metres away from the sail boat. The patient was secured into an Air Rescue Vest (ARV) and as the helicopter hovered 30 metres overhead, both were winched up into the aircraft within 20 minutes of the helicopter’s arrival on scene.

The woman was then flown to Prosperine Hospital for further treatment arriving at 1.15pm.

RACQ CQ Rescue returned to base about 2.50pm.

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RACQ CQ Rescue winched an injured New South Wales tourist from a sail boat at Hook Reef about 150km north of Mackay today.

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Please credit any released photos and video footage to RACQ CQ Rescue.
Please note: Full title of rescue service is RACQ CQ Rescue.

For further information please contact:
Naomi Noy
RACQ CQ Rescue
Ph: 0417 578 182