Originally Posted by
SilsoeSid
You say that the Westpac controllers called Kaikoira helicopters, where did you get that information and why do you think they would ask a R44 to do the job that a fully equipped 117 couldn't?
The Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand
(RCCNZ) has nothing to do with Westpac Rescue: it is a Government funded organisation that coordinates rescue tasking within the NZ region. Same as Australia's RCC, they use whoever is suitable and available.
However, since it was overland it was probably the NZ Police doing the tasking as they have authority for overland SAR.
I thought previous comments to you may have got the message across that this ain't the pommy set up and UnZud looks after its own? If Kaikoura Helicopters were tasked it was for a good reason, and knowing the area may have been an important factor.