The Mount Isa-based RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter has rescued four hikers on a hill, halfway between Mt Isa and Cloncurry.
Shortly after 5:15pm (Friday 15th April), the crew was tasked by the Queensland Police Service (QPS), after one man in the group was suffering breathing difficulties and the others were exhausted.
The hikers had given GPS co-ordinates, which made it easy for the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue pilot to locate them.
Due to the terrain, a winch was deemed the safest option.
The Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) Flight paramedic was lowered to the ground to assess the group, and one man was winched into the aircraft before being flown to an ambulance waiting nearby.
The rescue chopper then returned to the hill and found a small location where it was safe to land.
The remaining three bushwalkers climbed onboard the aircraft and were flown to the bottom of the hill.
The first patient, and one other hiker, were taken by ambulance to Mount Isa hospital for further assessment.
The other two hikers were flown to the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue base in Mount Isa, without requiring any medical treatment.
