Helicopter Rescues in Tasmania "2"

[corvus]

One of my personal rules when Bushwalking in unknown territory is to regularly turn around and look where I have come from which in most instances will enable me to turn back to where "I was not lost" this has served me well in the past.
Also my main complaint is with his "mates"for losing him"especially the PLB carrier.

[corvus]

A lot of experienced groups walk like this. Plan A: See you at the campsite. Plan B: See you back at the carpark.

A lot who and why? I am aware of your reason.

[Overlandman]

From the Advocate

The Westpac Helicopter has been deployed for the search for a missing 75-year-old walker

TASMANIA Police and State Emergency Services are searching for a missing walker in the Mount Dundas area near Zeehan.

The walker is a 75-year-old man.

Tasmania Police Search and Rescue walked into the area to meet with the missing walker's two companions at the Frazer Hut this morning.

[doogs]

Breaking story

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-27/s ... ia/6981094


Search for bushwalker missing in Tasmania's south west
Updated 25 minutes ago

Tasmanian police rescue helicopter flies over trees
PHOTO: The Tasmanian police rescue helicopter has been sent to look for the missing bushwalker. (ABC News)
MAP: Southport 7109
A search is underway for a bushwalker who has been missing for more than 24 hours in Tasmania's rugged south-west.

The 28-year-old man from New South Wales was walking with three other bushwalkers when he became separated from the group about 10am on Thursday.

The man is believed to be in the South Cape Range, between South Cape Rivulet and Granite Beach.
Police said he was an experienced walker and had warm clothes, sleeping equipment and a small supply of food, but he was not carrying the group's locator beacon when he became separated.

A search and rescue party and the rescue helicopter are on their way to the area.

I met these folks when they turned up at Cockle Creek to sound the alarm. They appeared well equipped and were doing the correct things at the time; 2 folks walked out and 2 stayed at the rivulet waiting for their companion. I could find no fault in their story, their friend had just obviously wandered off the track. What was glaringly obvious when chatting to them is that they weren't Tasmanian bushwalkers and I think this can be key when understanding the terrain that you are traversing. The South Coast Track isn't as easy as it is often made out to be. Hopefully he comes back to Tasmania, a little wiser, for another walk.

[Overlandman]

Update from the Mercury

THE Police rescue helicopter was sent to help search for a 75-year-old man who went missing near Zeehan.
Police search teams met the missing walker’s two companions at Frazer Hut on Mt Dundas. SES personnel have also been called in to help with the search.
The man, from Zeehan, was last seen about 5pm on Saturday when he left a remote hut to explore the area.

Searchers will remain in the area of the hut overnight and resume the search at first light.

[Nuts]

Iv'e avoided commenting much in these topics, so easy to draw conclusions and find fault... and who would know the 'best' solution at the time until it works out that way. So generally & respectfully, maybe a timely reminder (from TasP&WS)

How to avoid getting lost
Don’t push too hard – stop to make camp well before dark or before bad weather and keep your group together, especially towards the end of the day.
If someone becomes ill or if difficult weather sets in, make camp and wait for conditions to improve or for help to arrive. If you are just starting out, seriously consider abandoning the trip. Know your group and its limitations and modify plans as necessary.
If you think you are lost, stop. Sit down and try to think calmly. Use your map and compass or GPS. Climb a tree or go to a high spot to look for landmarks (know where your pack is when you do this). Do not continue travelling until you know where you are.
If you are lost, stay in one place. Put out signals of three blasts on a whistle, three lines stamped in the snow, three yells. Any pattern of three is a standard distress signal. Explain these basic rules to children in your party.

[GPSGuided]

Do the rescue helicopters also winch up the pack? Or do they always get left behind? If so, there must be quite a bit of equipment lying around by now.

[DanShell]

Do the rescue helicopters also winch up the pack? Or do they always get left behind? If so, there must be quite a bit of equipment lying around by now.

They generally winch the pack up as well. Unless of course its not safe to do so.

[GPSGuided]

Thanks and that's sensible. Just remembering somewhere that said they never do and I always thought it odd.

[Overlandman]

No news.
It doesn't say if he was carrying any equipment with him.
Not good.

Update from ABC

There has been no sign of a 75-year-old bushwalker who has been missing for two nights on Tasmania's rugged west coast.

The man was reported missing by two friends on Saturday night after setting off on a walk near Mount Dundas.

Twenty-five trained wilderness search and rescue officers are scouring the Mt Dundas region near Zeehan and the rescue helicopter is flying coordinated search patterns.

Another 30 police and SES members are searching on foot.

Police say there have been no sightings or communication with the missing man.

Sergeant Dave Walkley said the man did not have an emergency beacon or mobile phone with him.

"Basically they've walked to a hut in the Dundas area and he just wanted to explore a little bit further along a track," he said.

The man has not been seen since.

"He's an experienced bushwalker from all accounts and certainly the weather conditions have been favourable and the search is concentrating on the fact that he will still be alive," Sergeant Walkley said.

The rescue helicopter searching for the man had to be diverted on Sunday to pick up an ill crew member on a scallop boat near Three Hummock Island off the state's north-west coast.

[Davo1]

Found alive and well....

[Overlandman]

Great News thanks Davo1

Missing 75yo bushwalker found safe on Tasmania's west coast

A 75 year-old bushwalker missing for two nights on Tasmania's west coast has been found safe.

Sergeant David Walkley from Zeehan Police said he was found on the Carbine walking track in the Mount Dundas region near Zeehan at around 4:15pm.

"He was located on the track leading to the hut, it was within a couple of kilometres of where he was lost," he said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-07/m ... st/7005842
(post truncated, link added and quote marks inserted by admin)

[bumpingbill]

Again, is it possible to include links to the news sources?

* Firstly, it's generally frowned upon to take the entire article without reference.
* Secondly, things change and articles are updated over time. It's nice to get the freshest information.
* Thirdly, as we clearly value media reporting on lost bushwalkers, it's well worth reading the article on the news sites and sending clicks to them from here. It'll show up in the media organisation's web analytics.

Here's the link to ABC News: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-07/m ... st/7005842

[photohiker]

Here's some better info, also from ABC:

On Saturday afternoon 75-year-old Harry Gruner left his two walking companions at a remote hut in the Mount Dundas region and headed to Fraser Falls by himself.

He told 936 ABC Hobart he underestimated the length of the walk and it became dark before he made it back.

"I didn't have a torch with me, I didn't have matches with me because I thought I would be coming back early which was very foolish," he said.

"I walked down and it got really dark and eventually I ended up at the river but I didn't know where I was."

Without an EPIRB on him, Mr Gruner's disappearance sparked an extensive search involving more than 25 police and State Emergency Service volunteers as well as the rescue helicopter.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-08/r ... ia/7009588

Why an apparently experienced bushwalker would head off on his own in a remote area without some basic supplies is quite baffling. Lucky man.

[wildwalks]

Hi All -- can I please back up this comment.
I know it is a bit of a rush when things happen like this but please follow bumpingbill's advice.
I generally add quote tags and copy the headline and first paragraph, then the link to the site. Enough information to let people get a gist of what is going on to decide to click.
Copyright law allows 'fair use' of text like this. Copy and pasting full (or most of an) article with no reference would not be considered fair use.
Making it clear you a quoting and providing enough information is normally seen as fair use and most media outlets do appreciate the sharing like this.
Thanks

Matt

Again, is it possible to include links to the news sources?

* Firstly, it's generally frowned upon to take the entire article without reference.
* Secondly, things change and articles are updated over time. It's nice to get the freshest information.
* Thirdly, as we clearly value media reporting on lost bushwalkers, it's well worth reading the article on the news sites and sending clicks to them from here. It'll show up in the media organisation's web analytics.

[icefest]

Copyright law allows 'fair use' of text like this. Copy and pasting full (or most of an) article with no reference would not be considered fair use.

Sadly, not in Australia. We don't have a decent fair use clause like that.

[Overlandman]

Air Rescue on Southern Cross TV tonight at 8.00
Has a rescue in snowy conditions on Cradle Mountain where the weather takes a turn for the worse leaving a bush walker stranded
Regards OLM

Edit. Turned out to be the Kiora Hut rescue

[Overlandman]

Rescue Helicopter called to rescue a teen from the South Coast track

A 16-YEAR-OLD Brisbane girl on a school walking trip has required urgent evacuation from the South Coast Walking Track.

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter was called to the Ironbound Range to pick up the girl, who had become very ill.

She was winched rom the track and flown to the Royal Hobart Hospital.

No further details are available.

http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasma ... fb8d5f43b2

[MJD]

I missed the earlier discussions about the person lost on the South Coast Track probably because I was out walking. After traversing the Southern Ranges our group waded down the New River Lagoon and came out via the South Coast Track. Interestingly there was one spot on top of the Range where our group, who were walking as three pairs of two at the time, all lost the track at the same point. It was in one of the muddier sections, and it seems that we all kept to the right on a slightly drier but still muddy path in high tea tree. This ascended a slight rise (where the first pair found a foam mat) but the track just stopped. A check of the gps suggested the "real" track was to our left and sure enough the main muddy track was soon found.

Note that I said "suggested". It was clear that the track marked on the gps map was not always marked where it actually went. I tend to let the gps track my walks, which does make back tracking and comparing the actual track to that on the map much easier.

I don't think heading for the coast was the best idea. However, none of us were there so it is unclear exactly what happened.

Nuts had some good advice although I would have to say that if you think you are lost then you are lost! Sit down, have a rest, think about it. Can you back track? Are/were you on open ground? If you go back is the track on your left or right? Can you see any landmarks? Does the track take any sharp turns? Were you paying attention to your surroundings? Will anyone notice you are missing and when will they notice? If you stay put, do you have adequate water, food & shelter? And don't forget that Dr Who quote: "Sometimes, the only choices are bad ones but you still have to choose."

Whatever else you do, don't leave your pack somewhere while you you look. Things tend to go from bad to worse quite quickly without any unnecessary assistance. Being lost is bad enough, misplacing your gear - even if it's somewhere close by - isn't going to help your sanity and subsequent decision making.

[pazzar]

I think something as simple as some snow poles could eliminate some of the problem here. Having walked through here before, I can understand how people lose the track - I did at least once. A handful of high visible markers would be a cheap solution to a problem that could end up costing the ultimate price.

[Overlandman]

From ABC

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-18/t ... ia/7039330

Tasmania's rescue helicopter completes three missions overnight

Police vessels and the rescue helicopter extract a cliff-fall victim at Tinderbox

A teenager who fell 10 metres down a cliff face in southern Tasmania last night was flown to hospital in a stable condition, in one of three missions for the rescue helicopter service last night.

The 19-year-old man was fishing at Piersons Point, near Tinderbox south of Hobart, before falling.

Paramedics were taken to him via police vessels and managed to stabilise him at the scene.

He was then winched to the rescue helicopter and flown to the Royal Hobart Hospital with multiple fractures.

Earlier, the helicopter was tasked to Waterfall Valley on the famous Overland Track in the central highlands.

The crew flew to the Cradle Mountain/Lake St Clair national park about 8:30pm to pick up a man, aged 57, suffering a medical condition.

It was their second bushwalker rescue on Thursday evening, after being tasked to the south coast about 5:00pm to pick up a Hobart man, also 57.

He had been bushwalking the Ironbound Ranges when he injured his leg.

The helicopter picked him up from Little Deadman's Bay.

[north-north-west]

... and abel baggers ...

We need a special term for them. Bagels?

[north-north-west]

Air Rescue on Southern Cross TV Thursdays at 8.00pm. Regards OLM

It's been interesting watching this. The chopper pilot in both the Tasmanian segments I've seen was the same bloke who hauled me out of the Eldons. Recognised one of the other cops as well.

[Mountain Rocket]

Our Westpac Rescue Helicopter crew was kept busy on the weekend, responding to a call for help from a 42 year old Western Australian male bushwalker yesterday.
The man had been walking at Federation Peak when he dropped his backpack down a cliff. He retrieved his pack but was unable to get back up the cliff and became stuck.
The helicopter located the man just south of Chockstone Gully at Federation Peak.
A rescue crewman was winched to the man, who was then successfully winched into the helicopter.
The uninjured man was relocated to Bechervaise Plateau where he continued his walk.
Awesome work guys!

From Tas Police Facebook.
As one of the commenters points out, that is one expensive backpack

[Overlandman]

From the Advocate
Chopper Rescue for Walker
A 36 year old Queensland man was rescued by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter from New Pelion Hut on the Overland track near Mt Ossa last night

An emergency beacon was activated by its owner around 10 pm last night after a fellow walker suffered a suspected heart related medical condition. The man and his walking partner were airlifted to the Royal Hobart Hospital around midnight for further medical assessment.

No link. Hand typed.
Regards OLM

[Son of a Beach]

Not a bushwalking rescue, but a hit-and-run (so I was told) of a motor bike meant an hour long wait on the Tasman highway 10km south of Swansea this morning. But my very well-behaved and patient kids were rewarded by seeing the helicopter land on the road just a few cars in front of us. Eventually, while they were seeing to the patients, they let the traffic through around the helicopter, under the rotors.

I hope the motorbike rider(s) are OK!

[corvus]

G'day SoaB,
Nice to see the girls growing up my how time flies.

[Overlandman]

Story in today's advocate regarding a recent rescue.
Regards OLM

http://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/362 ... ess/?cs=86

[Overlandman]

Story from ABC regarding the Rescue Helicopter
Regards OLM

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-03/t ... et/7064498

Search-and-rescue operations are not straining police resources in Tasmania, the force has said, and officials are confident they can deal with more, even as bushwalking tourism expands in the state.

Since last July, there have been 62 search-and-rescue operations in Tasmania.

In 2014-15, 240 search-and-rescue operations were carried out - an average of more than four a week.

That is down on the 281 operations in 2013-14, but higher than the 210 operations in 2012-13.

Sergeant Paul Steane said police were responding to fewer serious incidents.

"Most of them are minor injuries or fairly minor mishaps, but just through the nature of where they are, we get involved," he said.

"We tend to go earlier rather than later, because it's far better to nip the problem in the bud than wait until it potentially gets to be a large problem.

"There's wider phone coverage, more people are carrying beacons, we are able to go straight to the job, sort it out and come home again."

Older people 'set out with best of intent'

Sergeant Steane put the high number of search-and-rescue operations down to a boom in tourism.

"Things are certainly heading in the right direction, but we're still governed by the numbers - we have more visitors, and there will be more jobs," he said.

Tasmania Police in the rescue helicopter searching for bushwalkers in the World Heritage Wilderness Area
PHOTO: A rescue helicopter searching for two German bushwalkers stranded by bad weather in the World Heritage Wilderness Area. (Rotorlift (supplied))
"Most people, they're just ordinary people who set out with the best of intent to have a good holiday, and through one reason or another things haven't worked out."

"As people get older and retire with a little bit more money they like to go bushwalking, and a 60-year-old body doesn't function the same as it did when it was 25."

Luke Martin from Tasmania's Tourism Industry Council agreed that adventure tourism was booming.

"The challenge always is, we're going to get more and more of these people coming to Tasmania, we're going to get people who are going to keep coming back to Tasmania for these walks," he said.

"I think particularly the international market is a challenge.

"People just have limited experience and need to appreciate that Tasmania is an adventure destination and by nature, they can't plan and control for everything, but you have to be prepared."

Rescues 'expensive' but not stretching budget

Tasmania Police's Marine and Rescue division has an annual budget of $4 million.

That does not include the cost of rescues carried out by the State Emergency Service.

The State Government also has a contract with Rotorlift, which operates a rescue helicopter, worth $4.1 million a year.

Sergeant Steane was confident police were well equipped to respond to the rescues, even as bushwalking increased in popularity across the state.

"Rescues are expensive and the helicopter does cost a lot of money," he said.

"(But) we are equipped to handle that workload, we expect it and we program it accordingly."

Sergeant Steane did not expect the opening of the Three Capes Track would have much of an impact of police resources.

"That's a very high-quality track, high-quality facilities, and whilst I'm sure there'll be one or two incidents down there we don't expect a flood of work out of that," he said

Phillp Le Grove from the Hobart Walking Club believed the majority of those who got into trouble while bushwalking were not adequately prepared.

"The conditions here in Tasmania are different from everywhere in Australia," he said.


"It's remote. You can't use your phone in many parts of Tasmania. The countryside is rough, so there's more injuries, people are getting lost."

Mr Le Grove urged inexperienced walkers to explore with people who were familiar with the area.

"If people can join a club and walk with experienced bushwalkers then that reduces the chances of an accident or the need for a rescue," he said.

Luke Martin agreed.

"What we try to encourage visitors to do as much as possible is to if they can experience the state with a trained, professional tour company," he said.

"It's not an expensive exercise to get a guided walk to take you into some of these spectacular environments, where you know you're going to be dropped off and you're going to be looked after.

"If you're not confident, if you're a first timer in this environment, get one of those tour operators."

Police focus on better planning, not better infrastructure

In its latest budget, the State Government allocated an extra $8 million for infrastructure upgrades in Tasmania's parks and reserves.

The money will be put towards new and improved signage and upgrades to tracks, roads and car parks.

But Sergeant Steane said it was still up to individuals to be prepared.

"Signs are always problematic in that sometimes they're there, sometimes they're not. I would stress on people to do their homework," he said.

"If you're going to those more minor routes, do your homework, make sure you're experienced for it, get your maps.

"Certainly make sure you're fit enough, do some warm-up walks."

[Nuts]

Mr Le Grove urged inexperienced walkers to explore with people who were familiar with the area.

"If people can join a club and walk with experienced bushwalkers then that reduces the chances of an accident or the need for a rescue," he said.

Luke Martin agreed.

"What we try to encourage visitors to do as much as possible is to if they can experience the state with a trained, professional tour company," he said.

"It's not an expensive exercise to get a guided walk to take you into some of these spectacular environments, where you know you're going to be dropped off and you're going to be looked after.

I wonder if any of the Tassie clubs have a daywalk/intro/short course program that would be suitable to show non-club members (even tourists) the basics?
Iv'e not had much to do with the Tassie clubs but understand such programs are offered elsewhere.
Many people would indeed find the cost of a commercial offering expensive and not ideal.

Really, with such growth expected, something should probably be formalised (by responsible agencies) in educating, especially visitors, on safety and impact, before loosing them on our parks, roads even.