SPINAL INJURIES KEEP RESCUE CHOPPER CREW BUSY THIS WEEKEND

February 6, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SPINAL INJURIES KEEPS RESCUE CHOPPER CREW BUSY THIS WEEKEND

RACQ CQ Rescue airlifted an elderly man with a broken neck from a remote homestead near Mt Coolon at the weekend.

The 87-year-old man had fallen down a flight of stairs at the cattle property and suffered spinal injuries. RACQ CQ Rescue was tasked by Queensland Health about 4.30pm on Friday to fly more than 400km with a doctor and Critical Care Paramedic on board to treat and retrieve the injured man.

The helicopter was landed in a grassed area adjacent to the homestead in the near four-hour mission and he was transferred to Mackay Base Hospital in a stable condition.

On Saturday, a 15-year-old boy was airlifted from Clermont hospital with suspected spinal injuries after a dirt bike accident that morning and later in the day, the rescue helicopter was tasked to an EPIRB activation about 35km east of Hayman Island about 6.30pm.

The helicopter quickly honed in on the distress beacon signal and made radio contact with occupants on a five-metre centre-console boat just before dark to establish they were safe, unhurt and that their boat had broken down.

Volunteer Marine Rescue was enroute to the scene and was tasked to assist retrieve the vessel and those on board, so the rescue helicopter returned to base at Mackay Airport.

On Sunday, RACQ CQ Rescue was tasked again to Hayman Island to airlift a resident with a serious abdominal condition as well as to transfer a patient from Bowen to Mackay Base Hospital.

RACQ CQ Rescue has now completed 63 missions already this year.

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RACQ CQ Rescue landed at a remote property near Mt Coolon on Friday to transfer a 87-year-old man with a broken neck to hospital.

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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