The Bundaberg-based RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter has winched an elderly man from a cruise ship.

The aeromedical crew was tasked to the scene, 80 nautical miles off the Bundaberg coast, by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) at around 9am on Monday (Feb 26).

It’s believed the man, aged in his 80s, had fallen on the ship and struck his head.

The rescue crew officer and the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) Flight Paramedic were lowered down to the vessel with a stretcher to retrieve the patient, who was treated and winched into the chopper.

An AMSA Challenger 604 jet was also tasked from Cairns to provide top cover for additional communication and enhanced safety during the offshore operation. 

The man was airlifted to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in a stable condition.