STRANDED LONE HIKER WINCHED BY RESCUERS FROM ROCKY CLIFF

August 18, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A lone hiker injured and stranded on a treacherous rocky ledge was winched by RACQ CQ Rescue off a mountainous peak near Clermont yesterday.

The 63-year-old Victorian tourist was attempting to climb the volcanic plug Wolfang Peak, about 50km north of Clermont, when she became disorientated and slipped more than 10 metres down a rock face, seriously injuring her ankle.

Fortunately, the woman had a mobile phone and called 000, but ground searchers were unable to determine her exact location on the mountain due to the rocky terrain and how far from the path she had strayed and fallen.

RACQ CQ Rescue was tasked about 3pm and flew direct to Wolfang Peak, about 260km south-west of Mackay, landing in a grassy paddock nearby to speak with rescue crews about retrieving the injured woman and her exact whereabout on the mountain.

Once airborne, the RACQ CQ Rescue crew, including a doctor, Critical Care Paramedic and rescue crewman, quickly located the stranded hiker on a precarious rocky ledge on a cliff face.

As the rescue helicopter hovered about 10 metres overhead, the rescue crewman was lowered down onto a small rock ledge to secure the woman into a rescue strop before both were winched up into the helicopter. The entire winch rescue of the woman off the rock face took less than 10 minutes.

The rescue helicopter was refuelled in Moranbah before transferring the woman back to Mackay Airport in a stable condition. She was then transported to Mackay Base Hospital by ambulance with a suspected broken ankle. It is believed the Victorian tourist had been in the state since early June.

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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