TWO ELDERLY TOURISTS WINCHED FROM QUEEN ELIZABETH CRUISE SHIP
February 21, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
There was yet another royal exit today - this time in Mackay when RACQ CQ Rescue winched two elderly tourists off the Queen Elizabeth cruise ship, flying more than 600km in a marathon five-hour mission.
The Mackay-based Bell 412 rescue helicopter was tasked about 9am that two patients from the a 294-metre long Cunard cruise ship, currently on a 14-night South Pacific cruise and located near Creal Reef, 150km east of Mackay, required medical evacuation and transportation to hospital.
The huge cruise ship had more than 2000 passengers and 900 crew on board and was en route to Papua New Guinea after departing Brisbane on Tuesday.
An 86-year-old tourist on board was believed to have suffered a fall on the vessel overnight and sustained a seriously broken femur.
RACQ CQ Rescue arrived at the ship about 40 minutes after departing base and once it made radio contact with the vessel, was able to winch down a Critical Care Paramedic and rescue crewman with medical equipment to the deck of the ship as the helicopter hovered overhead.
The elderly man, believed to be from the Gold Coast, was prepared for flight and secured into the stretcher before being winched off the ship, accompanied by the paramedic, and into the helicopter followed closely by the rescue crewman. He was then flown directly to Mackay Base Hospital for treatment.
After delivering the patient to the hospital, RACQ CQ Rescue returned to base at Mackay Airport to refuel the aircraft before departing again for the cruise ship to retrieve a second unwell patient.
Arriving at the ship just after midday, the rescue crewman and paramedic were again winched down on to the deck of the vessel to assist and treat an 83-year-old woman who was suffering serious abdominal pain. The decision was made to secure the patient into an Air Rescue Vest (ARV) and winch her up into the helicopter accompanied by the paramedic.
Both patients were taken to Mackay Base Hospital in a stable condition.
RACQ CQ Rescue returned to base just after 2pm.
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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