No way!
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 5,197
Likes: 1
From: UK
No way!
Stuff.co New Zealand report
Wellington rescue personnel were left bemused after a diver, stranded on a rock in Cook Strait, refused to be winched to safety on to a helicopter, saying he was scared of heights.
Two divers who had entered the water south of Island Bay yesterday, had been reported missing and were found by the Wellington-based Westpac Rescue Helicopter late yesterday afternoon.
A mayday was called by their tender boat after it lost engine power and began drifting out to sea, unable to pick up the divers.
Rescue crew, Ruth Zeinert, spotted the first diver in the water, about 200 metres south of Taputeranga Island at Island Bay.
"He indicated that he was okay and would swim for the island but he did not know where the second diver was," she said.
The second diver was spotted a few minutes later climbing on to a rock just off the island.
The police launch had arrived and was helping the first diver so the helicopter crew tried to rescue the second man, but to no avail.
"I was quite amazed that he refused to be rescued," Westpac Rescue Helicopter crewman Dave Greenberg said.
"I have been working on the helicopter for nearly 15 years and although I have seen people reluctant to be rescued, I have never met anyone who flatly refused.
" When I was winched alongside he told me he didn't want to be rescued by helicopter, he would swim to the boat.
"I spent a few minutes trying to convince him to come with me but he flatly refused saying he was afraid of heights."
Mr Greenberg returned to the helicopter and the police boat was called to pick up the diver, who swam out to the boat.
Stranded diver says no to aerial rescue
Wellington rescue personnel were left bemused after a diver, stranded on a rock in Cook Strait, refused to be winched to safety on to a helicopter, saying he was scared of heights.
Two divers who had entered the water south of Island Bay yesterday, had been reported missing and were found by the Wellington-based Westpac Rescue Helicopter late yesterday afternoon.
A mayday was called by their tender boat after it lost engine power and began drifting out to sea, unable to pick up the divers.
Rescue crew, Ruth Zeinert, spotted the first diver in the water, about 200 metres south of Taputeranga Island at Island Bay.
"He indicated that he was okay and would swim for the island but he did not know where the second diver was," she said.
The second diver was spotted a few minutes later climbing on to a rock just off the island.
The police launch had arrived and was helping the first diver so the helicopter crew tried to rescue the second man, but to no avail.
"I was quite amazed that he refused to be rescued," Westpac Rescue Helicopter crewman Dave Greenberg said.
"I have been working on the helicopter for nearly 15 years and although I have seen people reluctant to be rescued, I have never met anyone who flatly refused.
" When I was winched alongside he told me he didn't want to be rescued by helicopter, he would swim to the boat.
"I spent a few minutes trying to convince him to come with me but he flatly refused saying he was afraid of heights."
Mr Greenberg returned to the helicopter and the police boat was called to pick up the diver, who swam out to the boat.
Joined: May 2002
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 18,633
Likes: 1,072
From: Downeast
Or the only method of rescue.....seems the diver swam out to a boat and rode home on the briny ok.
A While back the two elderly folks refused pickup in the UK and incurred the wrath of the Sar Gods....they waited for the tide to drop and walked to their car wet and cold but quite safe.
A While back the two elderly folks refused pickup in the UK and incurred the wrath of the Sar Gods....they waited for the tide to drop and walked to their car wet and cold but quite safe.
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 353
Likes: 2
From: United Kingdom
How does that sit with the SAR helo that sat in the middle of Colchester football ground and winched down a bod and a ball at the weekend. Not many options with a guy on the wire and surrounded on all four sides by a football crowd
Joined: May 2002
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 18,633
Likes: 1,072
From: Downeast
Gerhardt.....
Maybe some folks just are not in need of "rescue" and wish to fend for themselves. Hopefully, that is a sign there is still a fraction of the world's population that consider self sufficiency and self reliance a core value. Shame more of our fellows in New Orleans could not adopt such virtues.
Maybe some folks just are not in need of "rescue" and wish to fend for themselves. Hopefully, that is a sign there is still a fraction of the world's population that consider self sufficiency and self reliance a core value. Shame more of our fellows in New Orleans could not adopt such virtues.
