The Sunshine Coast RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter crew has winched a woman to safety, after she reportedly fell down a steep rock face this afternoon.
The rescue chopper was sent to the Noosa National Park, just before 5:30pm.
It’s believed the woman, aged in her 20s, had been on a scenic walk, when she slipped and fell around 15 metres.
Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) paramedics and Queensland Fire and Emergency Service (QFES) firefighters were on the scene, when the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter arrived.
A QAS Flight Paramedic was initially winched down to the rocks, to assess the patient for facial and suspected spinal injuries.
“The area was extremely slippery and steep,” RACQ LifeFlight Rescue Aircrew Officer, Rick Harvey, said.
“Because of the difficult terrain, it was decided the safest way to rescue the patient, was to winch her out.
“To further assist with the extraction, I lowered an RACQ LifeFlight Rescue Aircrew Officer down to the scene.”
The woman was stabilised and hoisted up to the chopper, on a stretcher.
The QAS Flight Paramedic was then winched to the aircraft, followed by the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue Aircrew Officer.
The rescue crew was able to complete the extraction, before bad weather reached the area.
“We were in constant contact with the Sunshine Coast Airport air traffic control tower staff, about the approaching weather system,” Mr Harvey said.
“With their help, we were able to safely make it back to base, unaffected by the storm.”
A QAS road crew then transported the woman from the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue base, to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital, in a stable condition.
