Boat pair rescued
Published: October 4, 2004
Two men aged in their 20s were winched to safety after their boat was swamped by a wave off Port Albert in the state’s southeast.
Rural Ambulance spokesman John Mullen said the boat’s size and the windy conditions made the rescue difficult.
The men were winched from their boat into an ambulance service helicopter after the boat was hit by a wave shortly before 8am yesterday.
“We don’t usually winch into that small a boat,” paramedic Mark Scammell said. “It is very difficult, but we didn’t really have a choice. The injuries sustained by the men meant it was impossible to get them out any other way.”
Both men suffered leg and back injuries. Another boat towed them to calmer waters while the Helimed One air ambulance, based in Morwell, was called.
“A paramedic was winched down to them, he treated the men in the boat and then they were all winched back up,” Mr Mullen said.
He said one man had fractured vertebrae in his back and the other had a fractured leg. Both were close to suffering hypothermia after being in the water.
The men were taken to Latrobe Regional Hospital in a satisfactory condition.
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