On Tuesday morning the Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter was tasked to the Rangitikei River for a life-threatening incident.
A 22-year-old British backpacker was out White Water Rafting with a group when she was thrown from her two-man kayak. She became pinned under a log/debris in the river and was fully submerged. She was unable to free herself and after being submerged for 3-4 minutes one of the guides from the group managed to see her and quickly dragged her out of rapids.
The girl was not breathing, had no pulse and was unresponsive. The guide quickly commenced CPR and after minutes of resuscitation, the 22-year-old came around.
Once at the scene the crew hover offloaded the Intensive Care Paramedic (ICP) who assessed the patient immediately. She had come round from the CPR and was in a stable condition.
The ICP and patient were winched into the helicopter and was taken to her lodging accommodation downriver from the incident for a medical assessment. The patient was flown to Palmerston North Hospital for further observation and assessment.
It is thanks to the rafting guide’s quick thinking and brave actions that helped save this 22-year-old British backpacker’s life.
