topendtorque
18th Jun 2009, 10:19
The Australian, 15th June 2009 (http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25636826-5006790,00.html)
Craig O'Callaghan's Simpson Desert rescue
June 15, 2009
Article from: Northern Territory News
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6672541,00.jpg
A MAN motorbiking through a Northern Territory desert who crashed in the middle of nowhere has miraculously been rescued - by a passing Chinook helicopter.
Craig O'Callaghan, 46, suffered spinal injuries and was able to move only his fingers after coming off his motorcycle during a trek across the Simpson Desert, the Northern Territory News reports.
He had been travelling with a group of friends along the French Line - a rough track that skirts along the southern border of the Territory.
Mr O'Callaghan, of Yarrawonga in Victoria, came off at Poeppels Corner - where the dry and dusty borders of the Territory, Queensland and South Australia meet.
The group activated an EPIRB.
The desperate signal was picked up about 1500km away, in Canberra, by Australian Search and Rescue.
They first alerted South Australian police.
But their closest station is on the far side of the desert at Oodnadatta, several hundred kilometres away, so they were unable to assist due to the remote location.
Birdsville Police Station in far southwest Queensland was their next port of call and officer-in-charge Senior Constable Neale McShane sprang into action.
By an incredible stroke of luck, an army Chinook was in town refuelling on the way from Normanton to Longreach.
Sen-Constable McShane spoke to their commander who then got the green light from his superiors to rescue the injured biker.
"I knew we needed a helicopter. It would have taken 12 to 14 hours to drive there, and when you're talking spinal injuries that's a very long drive," he said.
"I don't know what the bloke thought when this huge Chinook flew in."
Craig O'Callaghan's Simpson Desert rescue
June 15, 2009
Article from: Northern Territory News
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6672541,00.jpg
A MAN motorbiking through a Northern Territory desert who crashed in the middle of nowhere has miraculously been rescued - by a passing Chinook helicopter.
Craig O'Callaghan, 46, suffered spinal injuries and was able to move only his fingers after coming off his motorcycle during a trek across the Simpson Desert, the Northern Territory News reports.
He had been travelling with a group of friends along the French Line - a rough track that skirts along the southern border of the Territory.
Mr O'Callaghan, of Yarrawonga in Victoria, came off at Poeppels Corner - where the dry and dusty borders of the Territory, Queensland and South Australia meet.
The group activated an EPIRB.
The desperate signal was picked up about 1500km away, in Canberra, by Australian Search and Rescue.
They first alerted South Australian police.
But their closest station is on the far side of the desert at Oodnadatta, several hundred kilometres away, so they were unable to assist due to the remote location.
Birdsville Police Station in far southwest Queensland was their next port of call and officer-in-charge Senior Constable Neale McShane sprang into action.
By an incredible stroke of luck, an army Chinook was in town refuelling on the way from Normanton to Longreach.
Sen-Constable McShane spoke to their commander who then got the green light from his superiors to rescue the injured biker.
"I knew we needed a helicopter. It would have taken 12 to 14 hours to drive there, and when you're talking spinal injuries that's a very long drive," he said.
"I don't know what the bloke thought when this huge Chinook flew in."