58 Life-Saving Missions for Aerocool Rescue Helicopter over May

Over the month of May, the Areocool Rescue Helicopter carried out 58 life saving missions, across the Coastal Bay of Plenty.

The missions included 26 inter-hospital transfers, 10 rural and farm incidents, four motor vehicle accidents, three medical events, and 15 other callouts.

Crews were regularly seen in remote areas including Waihau Bay, Matakana Island, Motiti Island and Waiheke Island.

The month began with a serious fall in Pongakawa, where a man was injured after falling five metres. He was stabilised and flown to Tauranga Hospital.

Over the following weeks, the helicopter responded to a number of critical incidents including a woman injured in a car crash in Omanawa, a rugby-related injury on Waiheke Island, and a man who fell in Waihau Bay.

Several missions involved transporting patients between hospitals for urgent care, including transfers from Rotorua, Whakatāne, and Tauranga Hospitals to larger centres in Waikato and Auckland.

On May 24 alone, the crew responded to three major incidents—two involving car accidents and one critical medical event in Te Araroa.

The month ended with a triple callout on May 30, and a final emergency in Te Kaha where a woman was treated for a medical event and flown to Whakatāne Hospital.

The high number of missions flown by the Aerocool Rescue Helicopter shows why it’s important to be extra cautious throughout the winter months.