I'd missed the 'solo stretcher lift' (I'd already got bored by then and skipped to the end) but assumed that that was what happened when the winchman departed (well out of vertical) at the end. As Crab says, not a great idea unless absolutely the only option - I don't remember ever having to risk a casualty in that fashion but I know of at least one fatal accident occurring because of it and @VSF, it's always risky to depart so far out of the vertical. I learned that at a very early stage of my sar career when the wire snagged a bit of wessex u/c, the nav winched in, and the cable parted. Luckily it was only training off HH harbour and the winchman was only D.L!
