Helicopter winches family to safety after Whitsundays yacht crash
A family of four, including two children, have been rescued by helicopter after their yacht became stuck on a reef in the Whitsundays.
A rescue helicopter saved a family of four after their yacht crashed into a reef off the Queensland coast in the Whitsundays. The incident unfolded around 4am on Saturday when the family, who were sailing a 10-metre vessel about 120 kilometers off the mainland, became stuck on Elizabeth Reef.
The parents and their two children - aged nine and twelve - remained on the damaged yacht until a rescue helicopter could reach them. CQ Rescue Helicopters announced that a crew from Mackay arrived around sunrise to assist in the highly complex operation.
Rescue crews faced a challenging situation as they hovered above the vessel, with a rescue swimmer lowered to help each person be winched into the helicopter one at a time. Once onboard, the family was transferred to the Whitsunday Airport. The father was taken to Proserpine Hospital for further treatment due to head injuries sustained during the rescue.
CQ Rescue Helicopters CEO Tim Healee praised the skill and precision required for the rescue operation on an isolated reef, highlighting the immense teamwork involved.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
