Helicopter Rescues in Tasmania "2"

[Rexyviney36]

Imagine knowing the exact date you needed a future heli evac???
You’d just not go, surely…

[wander]

Don't remember anything awkward between there and Murgab ... unless they mean the taped inland pad that avoids the rockhop?.

The short section of scrub just South of Murgab is legendary for being difficult. Having done it twice South to North and once North to South I can see why people have had issues over the years. But having nailed it 2 out of 3 time and the time we ended up at the coast and rock hopped (going South to North) was no disaster either I struggle a bit as to why so many people do have issues. Tho it is much clearer now than it was 2014 and the trip prior I can't remember when it was.

[Overlandman]

One today from Vigilante News

The Tasmania Police Westpac rescue helicopter is en route to the Launceston General Hospital following a medivac of a woman who suffered a fall on the Marion’s lookout link track at Cradle Mountain this afternoon.

[Overlandman]

Not sure what this one is about
If someone hears something can you add to the stary

From Vigilante news

The Tasmania Police Westpac rescue helicopter is heading to Scotts Peak Dam after locating a number of missing bush walkers nearby.

[FLICKIT]

Not sure what this one is about
If someone hears something can you add to the stary
From Vigilante news
The Tasmania Police Westpac rescue helicopter is heading to Scotts Peak Dam after locating a number of missing bush walkers nearby.

The heli did a bit of a loop around the Lake Ganymede - High Moor Camp area, a loop north of there, then it dropped off the radar for a bit,
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/POL ... 0146.33775

it reappeared north of Mount Anne and returned to the airport... Since it returned to the airport and not the RHH I assume there were no injuries...
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/POL ... 0127/0346Z

I noticed some action between Precipitous Bluff and Cockle Creek last week also, it hasn't been mentioned in the news anywhere, it appears a group may have been ferried back to Cockle:
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/POL ... /YMHB/YMHB

[FLICKIT]

One of the Westpac helicopters was up around the Frenchmans Cap track area around 8pm last night, it headed back up there this morning, it's now gone to Derwent Bridge so I assume it's an ongoing situation or refueling..

Edit: it returned to the RHH...

[Overlandman]

From Tasmania Police

Crew from Westpac Rescue Helicopter Tasmania retrieved an injured climber from the Candlestick at Cape Hauy around noon today.

A man (in his 30's) had fallen around 10 metres and sustained a leg injury. He was winched to safety and flown to the Royal Hobart Hospital.

The man's climbing companions were uninjured and extracted from the area by repelling down the rockface to an awaiting police boat.

[Son of a Beach]

Apologies in advance (and I don't know if it's you or Tas Police), but...

It's not "repelling" (or at least if they were repelling, they should explain how being repellant helped them get down to the boat).

It's "abseiling" in Australia. Even in America, it's not "repelling", it's "rappelling" (eg, see: https://grammarist.com/spelling/rappel-repel/ ).

As Digory would say, "what do they teach them in schools these days".

Sorry for being pedantic.

(What usually happens after I post something pedantic like this is that somebody better educated or more pedantic than me picks apart what I've written... and I'm OK with that.)

[FLICKIT]

One of the Westpac choppers is at Kia Ora Hut tonight:
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/POL ... 1112Z/YMHB

Edit: It returned to the airport.

Last edited by FLICKIT on Sun 20 Feb, 2022 9:25 am, edited 1 time in total.

[FLICKIT]

One of the Westpac helicopters just visited Surveyors Cabin on the Three Capes Track:
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/POL ... 2201Z/YMHB

It returned to the RHH...

[johnw]

(What usually happens after I post something pedantic like this is that somebody better educated or more pedantic than me picks apart what I've written... and I'm OK with that.)

they should explain how being repellant helped them get down to the boat).

Um, should that be "repell-ant" or "repell-ent" ? Sorry Nik, and I'm glad I'm not the only pedant on this site.
p.s. A lot of cops can't spell. I have a brother who is one, you should see his text messages .

[doogs]

(What usually happens after I post something pedantic like this is that somebody better educated or more pedantic than me picks apart what I've written... and I'm OK with that.)

they should explain how being repellant helped them get down to the boat).

Um, should that be "repell-ant" or "repell-ent" ? Sorry Nik, and I'm glad I'm not the only pedant on this site.
p.s. A lot of cops can't spell. I have a brother who is one, you should see his text messages .

The word should have been rappelling. But, anyway, Google agrees with Nik in a search of the word!

[johnw]

The word should have been rappelling

Agreed. Many years ago we went to an army open day near home and they were doing mock battlefield exercises.
Curiously, even though we use the term abseiling in Oz, they described one of their activities as "rappelling from helicopters".
Either way my discomfort with exposed heights means that I've only done a handful of, whatever term one chooses .

[FLICKIT]

Westpac POL71 is searching around off-track between Savage River and the Corinna Rd at the moment:
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/POL ... /YMHB/YSRN

[Overlandman]

From Tas Police

Tasmania Police Search and Rescue have responded to two callouts for assistance overnight.

Just before 10pm police were alerted to an activation of a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) on the Overland track near the Bert Nichols Hut.

Conditions prohibited a rescue helicopter attending however a Search and Rescue ground team accompanied by a Wilderness Paramedic were dispatched to the area. The rescue team were assisted by marine officers who provided transport by boat across Lake St Clair.

The search and rescue team walked throughout the night and at around 7am this morning located a female who had become lost. She was not injured and was in good condition, and located around 900 metres from the track. She is currently walking with the search and rescue team to Lake St Clair.

In a second incident, police were contacted around 10pm with concerns for a walking party on the South Coast Track near Surprise Bay. The Westpac Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to the location but were unable to land due to the conditions. The helicopter reattended this morning and ascertained that it was due to an inadvertent activation of a distress message.

[FLICKIT]

It looks like Westpac-POL72 picked someone up from the southern end of the OLT, Bert Nichols hut area, and dropped them at the RHH earlier this evening:
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/POL ... /YMHB/YXHH

[FLICKIT]

A couple of nice vids here from a Western Arthurs pickup on Sunday:
https://www.facebook.com/WestpacRescueTas/posts/3234337256884072

This flight I assume:
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/POL72/history/20220312/2340Z/YMHB/YXHH

[wander]

From Tas Police

Tasmania Police Search and Rescue have responded to two callouts for assistance overnight.

Just before 10pm police were alerted to an activation of a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) on the Overland track near the Bert Nichols Hut.

Conditions prohibited a rescue helicopter attending however a Search and Rescue ground team accompanied by a Wilderness Paramedic were dispatched to the area. The rescue team were assisted by marine officers who provided transport by boat across Lake St Clair.

The search and rescue team walked throughout the night and at around 7am this morning located a female who had become lost. She was not injured and was in good condition, and located around 900 metres from the track. She is currently walking with the search and rescue team to Lake St Clair.
.

As far as I can tell this was a person camped at Pine Valley who lost the track coming down off The Acropolis and headed for the OT/Bert Nichols for want of a better way to recover. Did *&%$#! well to get as far as they did. They got very very close to Bert Nichols before hitting the PLB button/being found by the Police very early in the morning.

I was walking out on the OT the same day the Police/ Paramedic walked the person out.

[FLICKIT]

Westpac-POL72 just returned from a run down to the Louisa Bay/River area on the South Coast Track, they returned to the airport so it probably wasn't serious:
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/POL ... /YMHB/YMHB

[FLICKIT]

Westpac-POL72 appears to be around Mt Anne at the moment:
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/POL ... 0146.45657

Edit: Eastern end of Lonely Tarns:
https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=7c1602

Last edited by FLICKIT on Thu 17 Mar, 2022 6:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[north-north-west]

Where the new tent platforms are. Interesting.

[Overlandman]

From Vigilante News
The Tasmania Police Westpac rescue helicopter has landed at Mt Anne on a medivac following an plb activation.

[potato]

Ended up at the hospital. Wish we had the tech in the 90s when my friend broke his leg and we had to get him out the old fashioned way.

[FLICKIT]

Ended up at the hospital. Wish we had the tech in the 90s when my friend broke his leg and we had to get him out the old fashioned way.

It's reassuring watching them do their thing, that would have been around 2 hours between pressing the button and arriving at the hospital, very speedy... I hope they're ok...

[FLICKIT]

Westpac-POL73 picked someone up from Surveyors Cabin on the Three Capes Track this morning and dropped them at the RHH... They were down at the cabin for close on an hour before returning..
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/POL ... /YMHB/YXHH

[Overlandman]

From vigilante news

The Tasmania Police Westpac rescue helicopter has been activated to Pillans Lake track, Walls of Jerusalem following a PLB activation. Our world class helicopter crew has attended a number of incidents tonight.

Nice night for flying with the full moon

[FLICKIT]

Westpac-POL71 is heading towards WOJ/OLT area, it departed Hobart around 11:30pm, not a good thing at this time of night:
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/POL ... 1223Z/YMHB

https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=7c58a8

EDIT:

From vigilante news
The Tasmania Police Westpac rescue helicopter has been activated to Pillans Lake track, Walls of Jerusalem following a PLB activation. Our world class helicopter crew has attended a number of incidents tonight.
Nice night for flying with the full moon

You beat me to it... That narrows it down, TY...

Last edited by FLICKIT on Sun 20 Mar, 2022 12:13 am, edited 1 time in total.

[FLICKIT]

It wen to Hut:4 on the western side of Pillans Lake.. Hut 4 is a Crown licenced shack, most likely a trout fisherman...

[Overlandman]

The Rescue Helicopter then proceeded to Launceston Airport, landing in the RFDS Hanger area.
Bit strange as it normally flies the patients to Launceston or Hobart Hospital?

[north-north-west]

The Rescue Helicopter then proceeded to Launceston Airport, landing in the RFDS Hanger area.
Bit strange as it normally flies the patients to Launceston or Hobart Hospital?

When they hauled me in after rolling the Hilux, we went to Llanherne and I was transported the rest of the way in a normal ambulance. It wasn't an emergency, just protocol for vehicle rollovers. I'm guessing there was a comparable situation with this one. Or maybe it was an accidental activation.