THE fact that a Westpac rescue helicopter had to come from Newcastle yesterday to winch an injured paragliding competitor from the side of Mt Borah near Manilla was a sign the winching capability of the Tamworth-based helicopters should be reinstated, organisers said.
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Godfrey Wenness, who is running the Manilla XC (cross-country) Camp 2015 paragliding competition, said the paraglider of a 77-year-old Japanese man – the oldest competitor in the week-long event – went into a spiral dive from a height of 200 metres on the western side of the mountain.
The paraglider crashed into a tree on the side of the mountain, with the pilot sustaining a large gash to his head.
He had been in the air for 20 minutes before the accident, Mr Wenness said.
Mr Wenness said the accident occurred at 12.45pm, but the Newcastle-based helicopter – although a welcome sight – did not arrive until 2.40pm.
When The Leader spoke to Mr Wenness just before 4pm, the helicopter was still there.
He said when the Tamworth-based chopper used to be on call with its winch, it only took 12 minutes’ flying time to arrive – and the difference in the time it took for the one from Newcastle to arrive was huge, which could have an effect on patient outcomes, if an incident was serious.
“In this case the patient wasn’t critical,” Mr Wenness said.
He said two paramedics had to abseil down the side of the cliff (not off the helicopter) to ascertain the victim’s condition, before the helicopter winched down a doctor and landed again while waiting for the doctor to stabilise the patient.
Mr Wenness said the Newcastle-based chopper also had to refuel twice on its trip into the region – once at Tamworth on the way to the job, and once again on the way back.
The patient, at 4.20pm, was finally winched into the helicopter, which took him to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle.