CHOPPER CREWMAN HONOURED WITH BRAVERY COMMENDATION
March 22, 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CHOPPER CREWMAN HONOURED WITH BRAVERY COMMENDATION
RACQ CQ Rescue rescue crew officer Ben McCauley has received a commendation for brave conduct for his actions retrieving a shark attack victim in Cid Harbour on Whitsunday Island on September 19, 2018.
The Governor-General, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley has today announced 39 Australian Bravery Decorations to recognize the courageous acts of 66 people.
“Today we recognize and celebrate the bravery of 66 people who put themselves in danger to help others. The courage they showed is matched by their selflessness and they deserve our respect, gratitude and recognition,” the Governor-General said.
Australian Bravery Decorations recognize acts of bravery where people selflessly put themselves in jeopardy to protect the lives or property of others.
Ben, who is employed by Babcock, was the rescue crew officer on board the region’s rescue helicopter, RACQ CQ Rescue, for three shark attacks in the Whitsundays in 2018. He said he was honoured and incredibly humbled by the bravery commendation but that he was “just doing his job” that day.
The incident he was commended for took place on September 19, 2018 when Tasmanian women Justine Barwick was attacked by a shark while swimming in Cid Harbour, north of Hamilton Island.
Ben, who had only been with RACQ CQ Rescue for six months, said the Mackay-based rescue helicopter was on a beacon search at Proserpine when they were tasked to the scene about 5pm. They flew direct to Whitsunday Island in 15 minutes.
Justine was aboard a 39-foot yacht bleeding profusely with barely a pulse after being bitten while swimming.
“The shark had taken a huge chunk out of her inside leg and she was bleeding out,” Mr McCauley said.
“Her husband and friend on board had quickly packed the gaping wound to help stem the haemorrhaging and this undoubtedly saved her life.”
RACQ CQ Rescue, with a Critical Care Paramedic on board, orbited the area and made contact with the vessel Topaz. There were about 30 boats in the popular anchorage, some only about 30 metres away from each other.
The rescue was made difficult by fading light, low fuel and the inability to land on a nearby beach due to the incoming tide so the crew made the difficult decision to winch the critically injured woman out of an inflatable dinghy.
"When you've got a 1200-pound helicopter hovering overhead there is a lot of down-force wind," Ben said.
"It (the inflatable) sort of blew around the place. The aircraft's trying to chase it around. You're sort of playing cat and mouse until you go, 'right, this is as close as we're going to get'."
Ben was then winched down out of the helicopter into the water – where the shark had just been - and had to swim to a dinghy and climb on board. Justine was secured into an ARV (Air Rescue Vest) and winched up with the rescue crewman into the helicopter within 20 minutes to be treated by a Critical Care Paramedic.
"I actually got lowered into the water about five metres away from them and then swam to the tender," Mr McCauley said.
"To be honest I didn’t think about the shark in the water that day. When you're on the job, you're on the job; I had 100 other things that I was concentrating on other than the shark."
The helicopter flew direct to Proserpine Airport to refuel. The helicopter was met by paramedics who delivered blood and further pain relief before Justine was transported to Mackay Base Hospital.
“Given how serious Justine’s injuries were and how far from shore and from medical help they were, without the rescue helicopter I don’t think she would have made it back to the mainland alive. She really was incredibly lucky.” Ben said.
Justine arrived at Mackay Base Hospital just after 8pm where she underwent emergency surgery. She was sent to Brisbane the next day for an 18-hour vascular surgery to reconstruct her leg.
Five years after the incident which changed her life, Justine said she was very excited to hear of the news of Ben’s commendation.
“Ben was part of an extraordinary effort on that day. His contribution was fundamental to my survival. His bravery during my retrieval was amazing. It would seem to me that had Ben not taken advantage of what was very probably his only opportunity to reach me that the outcome for me would have been very different,” Justine said.
“While all members of the crew went above and beyond in their areas of operation, Ben’s assessment of the situation and the action required for him to get me into the helicopter saw him swimming in an area where he knew there had been recent shark activity. He gave this fact little consideration, but rather he prioritised the task at hand over his own safety.
“Myself, my family and friends are all in debt to everyone who assisted in my journey through retrieval, survival, recovery, and rehab – but had I not been winched into that helicopter when I was, I doubt that I would have made it. Thank you to Ben and all at RACQ CQ Rescue. You are lifesavers,” Justine said from her home in Tasmania.
In 2018, there hadn't been a reported shark attack in Cid Harbour before, so it came as an enormous shock when, within 24 hours of Justine’s attack, emergency services were called again to another attack in the previously safe Cid Harbour.
Twelve-year-old Melbourne girl Hannah Papps, who was holidaying with her family on a boat in the Whitsundays, would require an above-kneed amputation after her attack. The unthinkable happened when less than two months later another shark attack claimed the life of 32-year-old Melbourne doctor Daniel Christidis.
Ben attended all three attacks and said he still think about them every time he flies over Cid Harbour.
"After the third attack, people were asking me 'Are you OK? Tell me about it'," he said of the incidents five years ago.
"Yeah, I don't want to tell you about it. I’ve definitely had enough shark attacks for a while.
Very surprised and humbled by the honour, Ben said he was grateful to have been nominated for the award and to be a recipient of a commendation.
“The reality is though I was just doing my job that day in Cid Harbour and hoping our actions could help give Justine the very best chance of survival and for her long-term recovery.”
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RACQ CQ Rescue rescue crewman Ben McCauley has received a commendation for brave conduct for his actions in retrieving shark attack victim Justine Barwick from Cid Harbour in the Whitsundays on September 19, 2018.
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