When Cory Ballerini was told he might never walk again, he pledged that somehow he would escort the love of his life down the aisle.

The Aucklander had been left with horrific injuries following a freak motorbike accident, but he was determined that not even a crushed spine would ruin his wedding. And just a month later, the 37year old was not only on his feet at his nuptials, he even managed to hit the dance floor with his beautiful new bride.

But it was frightening how close Cory and his high school sweetheart, Sheree Haycock, came to not making it to their dream wedding. In January this year, the pair went on a picnic with friends to Muriwai Beach on Auckland’s West Coast.

While riding his motorbike with his buddy Josh Amos, Cory drove over a log camouflaged in the black sand. His black wheel struck the large lump of wood, catapulting Cory 10metres into the air.

“The most simple crash just destroyed me,’ says Cory. Whose story featured recently on TV2’s Rescue 1 series. And the motorbike veteran of 30years could never have predicted what happened next.

The terrifying ordeal
“The bike landed on my back and snapped me in half. As son as it hit I thought, “this is bad.” On the beach five kilometers away, office manager Sheree, 31, knew something was drastically wrong when Josh returned alone. ‘He came screaming back on his bike,’ she says, ‘As I ran towards him, he yelled, “call 911, Cory’s come off. It’s really bad.” ,Lying in the sand with a shattered spine, several badly broken bones, a dislocated elbow, and punctured lung.

Cory says it was self determination that kept him alive with no pain relief. ‘My back was the shape of a big tick. Josh said it felt like jelly,’ recalls Cory, a mechanic.

A terrified Sheree was convinced he was going to die. After an agonisingly long wait on the sand, help arrived in the form of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter. Cory says the sound of the helicopter blades was the best noise he’s heard in his life.

‘Without Westpac Rescue Helicopter I would have dies on that beach, ‘he says. Rushed to Auckland Hospital, surgeons had to reinforce his spine with 12 screws, several rods and $15,000 worth of titanium. The eight hour operation was a great success.

‘When I woke after surgery it felt like I had a red hot knife in my back,’ Cory winces, ‘My surgeon said I was a miracle and I should be in a wheelchair.’ The long road to recovery was still to come, but throughout the ordeal Cory’s key motivation was his making it to his wedding.

‘I told myself, “I’m going to get better for Sheree,” ‘he says. ‘The nurse said I couldn’t leave the hospital until I could get out of bed and walk around by myself. I said, “Right then, here we go,” ‘he recalls.

The road to recovery
Cory was released from hospital an amazing two weeks later. Unfortunately, days after arriving home, Cory woke up convulsing and vomiting. ‘I was rushed back to hospital. I told the doctor it must be all the painkillers I was taking, I weaned myself off the drugs except one and kept going.’

Despite his best efforts, Cory and Sheree were forced to delay their wedding to aid his recovery. ‘That was the first time I cried since all this… it was the hardest thing to break to Sheree,’ he says. Every ay Cory pushed himself to walk further, until five months down the track he could run two kilometers in 20 minutes and knew he was ready to out on his wedding suit.

Even a blustery Waiheke day couldn't’t dampen Cory and Sheree’s spirits when on June 12 the couple tied the knot in an emotionally charged ceremony. ‘I was crying before I started walking down the aisle, ‘ Sheree says, ‘I thought I might lose him and here he was at the altar.’ Cory adds, ‘Sheree was absolutely awesome. To make it to the wedding was just incredible and she looked so beautiful.’

They couple says the accident brought them closer than ever, and they are grateful to Westpac Rescue Helicopter for every moment they have together.

A seriously injured man was taken by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter to Auckland Hospital after a two car collision south of Wellsford on Friday around 7.20pm. Three other people had minor injuries, at least one of them was a child.

They were taken by ambulance to Auckland Starship children’s hospital and Auckland Hospital. They were in a car containing a young family of five traveling north. Investigations are continuing. Police urge anyone with information to contact Wellsford police on (09) 423 8228

Children at the Thames Library were taken on an imaginary trip around the Coromandel Peninsula with KC the Corosaur on Thursday, for the launch of a new children’s book promoting the region.

KC the Corosaur’s Favourite Thing to Do tells the story of the dinosaur’s travels around the peninsula, in which he enjoys popular tourist activities on the way to discovering KC’S favourite pastime.
KC is the mascot of the Just 4 Kids Festival, which was held for the first time over the weekend in Whangamata. The book’s author, Rex Simpson, was on hand with KC on Thursday as around 20 children were read the book, and afterwards he signed copies of the book.

From every book sold $1 goes to the New Zealand Dotterel Watch and the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust. Mr Simpson, a Coromandel FM announcer, said: “They’ve (the publishers and illustrators) done a really good job – it’s really incredible,” he said.

The illustrators for the book were done by Coromandel town artist Cindy Alger. Tourism Coromandel media and marketing manager Hadley Drysen said: “The book is a something fun that both young and old can enjoy that has the added benefit of promoting the region as a great family destination”.

Rodney pitched in to help the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, with Auckland raising $365,872 for this year’s Chopper Appeal. Westpac covered campaign costs, ensuring all the money raised goes to the service.

The Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust is joining with the 15 other rescue helicopter trusts nationwide and Westpac to thank hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders who donated a record $1.45 million during the recent national appeal – nearly 28 percent more than last year.

This year’s appeal was a huge success, and will make a vital contribution to the operation of the region’s rescue helicopter services, Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust chief executive officer Bob Parkinson says. “We are very proud to have the support of our community and are continually overwhelmed by the generosity of locals,” he says.

This is a crucial service that can make a life or death difference for thousands of New Zealanders – next time it could be any one of us. A member of our family or a friend, Westpac national sponsorship manager Mark Graham says.

New Zealand’s rescue helicopters undertook nearly 5000 missions last year. Each mission costs thousands of dollars and includes a mix of ambulance and search and rescue work.

Westpac is the major sponsor of the Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch Westpac rescue helicopters and Waikato Air Ambulance. And through the Westpac Chopper Appeal helps all other regional helicopter services around New Zealand.

Donations are welcome and can be made at www.chopperappeal.co.nz or and Westpac branch.

The coffers of helicopter rescue services in the south have been bolstered by more $50,000 raised in this year’s Chopper Appeal. Southlanders dug deep in the Westpac run appeal raising $52,158 to be distributed to the Lakes District Air Rescue Trust.

Trust chairman Jules Trapper said the money, which was about 25 percent up on the amount raised last year, would be used for training and equipment to be distributed among the trust’s affiliated operations. Those operators include Queenstown companies, Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters, Heliworks, The Helicopter Line along with Te Anau based Southern Lakes Helicopters.

Mr Tapper said affiliated operator system was the best fir for the south which averaged about 200 resources.” Instead, distributing rescue work among the four companies on a roster basis had made the Lakes District model the most cost effective in New Zealand, he said. “We’re envied by the rest of the country.”

Trust secretary Tony Hill said the money raised by the appeal was a vital contribution to the operation of the region’s rescue helicopter services which was heavily reliant on fundraising.

“We are continually overwhelmed by the generosity of the locals, and are very proud to have to support of our community.” Westpac covered the campaign costs on the appeal meaning all money raised for the trust went to the service.

The trust is one of 15 to benefit from the appeal which raised a record $1,450,475.84 nationwide. Westpac’s the major sponsor of the Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch rescue helicopters and Waicato Air Ambulance, and through the Chopper Appeal helps all other regional helicopter services around New Zealand.

Donations can be made at www.chopperappeal.co.nz or any Westpac branch.

A Rodney Coastguard crew on their new boat Kawau Rescue were involved in the Tuesday morning rescue of five men from a tug which caught fire nearly 20km off Mangawhai.

Coastguard Kapaau were joined by the Whangarei based northern Coastguard, the new naval patrol vessel HMNZS Rotoiti, and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter on the rescue mission. The fire started in the engine room of the ocean going tug Koraki around 3.30am. The crew sent a mayday call before closing the hatch to the room which rescuers say probably saved the boat then abandoned the tug in a life raft and life boat.

Coastguard Kawau president Richard Bray says after receiving the callout they travelled to sandspit to the stricken craft in the dark using a new infrared camera for guidance, arriving at around 5.30am the same time as the Whangarei Coastguard vessel Circa Rescue. The Kawau crew stood off while five uninjured men were taken aboard the northern Coastguard vessel.

One of the two naval ships on exercise in the area at the time, the Rotoiti responded to the mayday and arrived after the coastguard had already rescued the tug crew. Naval ship Manawanui was anchored off Kawau Island with the Rotoiti off Motuihe, where officer training was taking place.

Despite being further away, the Rotoiti was sent to the rescue because it is a bigger and faster boat. It got to the stationary tug around 6am. Using thermal imaging, the Rotoiti crew determined the fire was out, although residual hotspots were detected. Significant blistering was also found on the port funnel.

Commanding officer Lieutenant Andrew Hogg sent a fire crew with full breathing apparatus and firefighting equipment to check the boat and cool the hotspots. A naval engineer reported an electrical fault over the port engine as the likely fire cause, says navy senior media adviser Lieutenant Sarah Cambell.

The twin engine tug had been towing an empty barge from Auckland to Whangarei, the fire damaging the port engine while the starboard engine remained in working order. The crew was able to safely start that engine and left for Auckland under their own steam at about 9am, more than five hours after the fire began.

Coastguard Northern Region duty officer Mark Leevers says commercial tug boats make the trip between Auckland and the Whangarei cement works nearly everyday.

Job seekers, training institutions and the armed forces will be converging on Rodney college Hall on Monday, June 21, for its annual Careers Expo.

More than 35 providers from throughout the North Island will be represented at the event, which starts at 7pm. Universities, technical institutes from Whangarei, Mahurangi and the Te Hana Community Development Charitable Trust, the army, navy, air force and police will all have representatives.

Private training establishments covering areas such as nannying, film and television, beauty, well being, hospitality, tourism and travel, forestry, agriculture, fishing, Coastguard, helicopter piloting and others will also be present. Careers Services, Study Link and WINZ will attend to discuss how to find future training. The night is not just for students and parents, but any job seeker in the community.

Helensville Primary School rugby players were coached by three Auckland Blues players. The students visited Unitec in Carrington, interacting with Tony Woodcock, Stephen Brett and Benson Stanley, as well as Blues mascot Bluebeard.

Teacher Peter Law says the students had a full on day and returned to school eager to apply their new found skills to their Saturday rugby games. Whangaparoa College musicians learned skills and techniques from 27 New Zealand Navy Concert Band members. In an hour long workshop each member of the Navy band supported a member of the college band as they combined to play several pieces.

Band leader petty officer Michael Miller was pleased with the student’s enthusiasm and effort. The navy band also performed for 400 year 7 and 8 students. “We have our own successful concert band and this will allow us to recruit more members into the college bands,” Whangaparaoa College band director Ruth Baker says.

Parents of Tapora School students are banding together to raise money for the school’s playground. Earlier this year students were banned from using the playground because of wear and tear. Raffles, sausage sizzles outside Pak’nSave Albany, and cake stalls have been the main source of funds, however donations or any support would be appreciated by the school. Contact the PTA chairwoman Rachel Lane on (09) 422 2128, or Tapora School on (09) 422 1835.

Helensville Primary School is also raising funds to improve playgrounds. About $2800 was raised in the school’s spell-a-thon competition Sean and Kyla Jarman collected the most sponsors and raised the most money in the competition. The Waimauku School student council held a Red Day to raise funds for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter. Students dressed in red and the student councilors held a parade with prizes for best dressed students. The school raised $546.

A lucky break in the weather saw a man who spent two nights in pain on Mt Pirongia airlifted off yesterday – just as rescuers were making plans to carry him down.

A team of 11 people, including St John paramedics and the police Land Search and Rescue team had already spent Saturday and night with the 40 year old Aucklander in a hut on top of the mountain.

They were relieved when the weather briefly cleared about 7am yesterday, allowing the Westpac Waikato air ambulance to quickly fly in and pick up the man, who was suffering chest pains, and fly him to Waikato Hospital for treatment.

An early attempt, by the Auckland rescue chopper on Friday night, had to be called off because of poor weather conditions. S Johns paramedic Michael Pudney, along with an officer from the LandSAR, was the first up the mountain to treat the man on Saturday morning.

Mr Pudney said rescues were “very lucky” they had not had to resort to carrying the man off the mountain. Mr Pudney arrived on top of the mountain about 10.30am to find the man, with several of his mates, in the hit.

He did not want to go into detail about the man’s condition or what they did to keep him stable. The teams that followed him up carried sufficient food and warm clothes to allow them to spend the night on the mountain.

Mr Pudney said low cloud and strong winds prevented easy and safe access for the choppers.

Five days after two yachties were plucked from their boat off the Far North coast, the vessel had run aground on Ninety Mile Beach.

The two in their 60s were rescued last Tuesday from the 14-metre Matahari after it broke a mast off the Hokianga Habour. Rough weather caused them to drift and they were rescued by the Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter 60 nautical miles east of Ahipara.

On Saturday the yacht was spotted in the surf south of the Hukatere ramp. After Kaitaia firefighter’s pumped water out it was hauled out and trucked away.

Voyager New Zealand Maritime Museum will run an introduction to navigation course for 12-16 year olds during July in Partnership with Coastguard boating Education. Topics covered include chart work, compass reading, bearings and GPS.

Activities outside the classroom will include exploring the museum galleries, applying navigational techniques while sailing on the Waitemata Harbour, visiting the Marine Rescue Centre, Coastguard Northern Region and the Westpac Helicopter Trust base.

Fundraising for a good cause has resulted in success for three busy volunteers. Howick College pupils Christie Southam and Carly Dowson joined Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust pilot Darryl Sherwin and Westpac Howick manager Robert Kingston for a day of bucket rattling.

Mr. Kingston says Westpac has had a longstanding association with the helicopter trusts and each May marks their annual appeal. The volunteers spent most of their time on Howick’s Picton Street.

He’s proud to report that in two hours they collected more than $800 to add to the $2200 raised by the Howick branch of Westpac. It held a number of fundraising events, including a barbecue during market day, selling water bottles and miniature helicopters, and though collection buckets in the branch.

Bad weather didn’t dampen the volunteer collectors’ spirits. “It was an amazing few hours as we came across sic people that had either been saved by the helicopter or knew someone who had,” says Mr. Kingston.

He reports the fundraisers even went into branches of other banks, and at one point did a bag signing for the staff after a $5 contribution from each person. To donate to the Westpac Rescue helicopter Trust, visit www.rescuehelicopter.co.nz

Excitement was at fever pitch at Glenbrook School yesterday as the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and the crew dropped in to say thanks. The crew of Herby Barnes, Crew Chief)’ along with Brendon Rei (Crewman) and Steve Oliver (Pilot) have been working with the children from Glenbrook School to raise funds for the helicopter operational fund.

The 200 students have been learning the Westpac Crew’s exercise program over the course of the term. The children then got sponsorship from friends, family and neighbors to complete the program. The school, along with Cherie Brown manager of Pukekohe’s Westpac bank, presented the crew with a cheque of $3507.10.
Glenbrook’s eight top fundraisers got the chance to be passengers on board the helicopter as well as being given bank accounts credited with $25 from Westpac bank. Principal Janice McKay was also a passenger on the ride from Mechanics Bay in Auckland to the school.

Glenbrook School is one of the six schools in the Auckland and Coromandel area to participate in the progamme. Herby Barnes was delighted with the amount raised and how enthusiastic the children were to get behind the cause.

Pictures below are students with the cheque; Nicola Simmons, Mau Minhinnick and Robert Simmons – all year 8’s.

Helen Wilson was among those who worked hard to raise $10,000 for the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust’s work in Rodney, never realising her own son would soon need its services.

The $10,000 raised by the Leigh Fishing Club’s annual fishing competition for the trust will represent funding for up to three of the anticipated 80 full rescue missions to the Rodney district this year. And if summer was anything to go by that number of missions may be exceeded, trust marketing and fundraising manager John Hooper says. Acknowledging the club’s hard work, Mr Hooper says about 30 residents and visitors to the region were airlifted by the end of March.

Helen Wilson, one of the many locals who were working tirelessly on the fishing contest day, asked if the trust needed fluffy toys on board the helicopter. “We could pick up 100 children over the course of the year, many of whom are quite distressed,” says Mr Hooper. “So to have something that can hopefully distract them for their injuries or illness would always be appreciated. It was arranged that Helen would get the toys to us at some stage.”

A couple of days after the competition, Mr Hooper received a call from Helen suggesting the fluffy toys could be uplifted from Auckland Hospital. “It turns out that her son Lloyd has been involved in a nasty vehicle accident and has been airlifted out of Leigh by our rescue helicopter,” says Mr Hooper.

“Between the local emergency services and our crew we were thankfully able to get Lloyd to the care he needed, and we were pleased to be able to report that he is on the mend. So once again, thank you to Leigh community for all their support, and on behalf of the trust we’re very pleased that we were able to return the favour.” For information, visit www.rescuehelicopter.org.nz .

A Dutch couple on their way to Vanuatu were winched to safety after their yacht lost its mast and had to be abandoned in wild seas.
 
Conditions were fine when the pair, aged in their late 60s, set sail from Nelson last Wednesday in the 14m Matahari, which they built themselves.

But about 4pm on Sunday, the couple put out a maday call. “They said they had demasted in heavy seas,” said a Westpac rescue helicopter crewman, who preferred not to be named.

The wind was a heavy westerly about 35 knots, with swells up to six meters.” He said the vessel was dead in the water about 90km from Herekino Habour near the top of the North Island.

“It had been smashed by heavy seas with no power or steering.” The couple, whose English is limited, were “pretty distraught” and desperate to get their belongings off the yacht, the Westpac crewman said. But they were restricted to one item each and chose a laptop and large handbag.

“That was their entire life on that boat.” The crewman said the vessel was still afloat, with an emergency beacon attached to the steering wheel. “It potentially poses a marine threat so that target will be tracked.” He said. The couple were taken to Auckland City Hospital to be treated for minor neck and head injuries.

A spokesman for the Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Wellington, John Dixon, said the incident showed how important it was for yachts to have correct gear on board. “Thanks to the vessel being equipped with an emergency beacon and VHF radio, we were able to launch a rescue mission and quickly reach the couple. ” Mr Dixon warned boaties to take particular care in severe weather.

A surfer stranded on rocks at Muriwai was rescued by helicopter yesterday afternoon. The Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter hauled the uninjured man to safety from Maori Bay, just after 3.30pm.

Waiheke police made seven arrests last week, including four for breaches of bail.

On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday respectively a 19 year old Oneroa man, a 43 year old Penrose man and a 40 year old woman were arrested for breach of bail. On Friday a 31 year old Onetangi man was arrested for breach of bail and four counts of fraud.

On Thursday a 30 year old woman was arrested for assaulting another female, on Saturday a 22 year old Surfdale woman was arrested for making a false statement and on Sunday a 62 year old Rocky Bay man was arrested for assault.

On Wednesday a 67 year old man was stopped on Ostend Road and found to have breath alcohol level of 546mcg/l and on Saturday a 57 year old man was stopped on Causeway Road and found to have a reading of 856mcg/l.

The Waiheke ambulance service was called out 21 times last week, attending the scene of five incidents and transporting two people to the on call doctor. The service also transported 14 people off-island, five on the Fullers ferry service, one via Coastguard Auckland and eight on the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.

The volunteer fire service had a quiet week with just one callout, assisting the ambulance service with a patient lift on Friday.

An Opotiki native, Herby Barnes works as crew chief for Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust and has been with for 16 years. When he is not fishing, diving or doing water sports, he is hanging out with his children, watching his daughters play netball, or on the sidelines oh his son’s rugby games. You can see what he gets up to in his all day job in Rescue 1, which screens on Thursdays at 8pm on TV2.

Last night, I watched: Current affairs programme Sunday on TV One. When I was a kid, the best thing on TV was: Zorro (the old black-and-white version). I would spend hours imitating his moves. I even had the Zorro hat, mask, cape and sword. I only stay in on a Saturday night: If there is a major rugby or league game on TV. My momentary style obsession: My kids keep reminding me I have no style, ha, ha. My one food fetish: Memphis Meltdown chocolate ice cream with sticky gooey caramel, Mmm. My most enduring childhood memory: safer then. Party central: For me it used to be the Viaduct, but now at my age, it seems to be my deck with a few friends, a few wines and the barbecue. My New Year’s resolution include: Getting on to all those annoying little jobs around the house that you said you would get around to last year. When you’re on telly you can get away with: Nothing. I haven’t really had anything embarrassing happen to me on television yet (touch wood). But years ago. I did an ad and was cast as a manly macho fireman, but they decided to use someone else’s voice because mine wasn’t deep enough. What an ego blow.

Te Huruhi School students were treated to an educational visit from the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and crew last Thursday.

Teacher, Paula Murray, says you could have heard a pin drop as the children waited for the sound of the helicopter approaching.

"The cheer went up as the helicopter appeared on the horizon and didn't stop until it had landed safely on the back field and the crew began to emerge."

Ms Murray says crewman, Mark Cannell (Tinny), gave an outstanding presentation in the school hall, drawing gasps and wows from the audience as shots of upturned trucks submerged boats appeared on the screen.    The children were then treated to a in-depth question and answer session at the helicopter with pilot Rob, crewman Tinny and paramedics Paul and Rob.

"The visit ties in with the junior schools' study of being safe within their environment and people in the community who can help them" says Ms Murray.

"Students raised $304 to help support this service which is a vital emergency link for our island community."

[Picture courtesy of ARHT]

A 10 year old boy was killed in a two-car collision on the Hibiscus Coast, north of Auckland on Friday.  Another child was seriously injured, as were two adults.  Two other adults suffered moderate injuries.  Police said paramedics worked on the boy for some time, but could not save him.  The other child and one of the adults were airlifted to hospital in the Westpac rescue helicopter.

Swinging from the bottom of a 20m winch line attached to the Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter - her ankle broken in three places - Anne Clark yelled "Woohoo."

The 56 year old, husband Murray and two friends were two hours into the three day Hillary Trail in the Waitakere Ranges in December when she slipped.  Her foot twisted 90 degrees and the bone in her ankle poked out of the skin.

Lacking cellphone coverage, the friends ran to get help while Mr Clark stayed with his wife.

About an hour later the couple heard the blades of the police Eagle helicopter which had been called to locate the pair for the ambulance.  Two St John paramedics and a policeman arrived soon after, tramping down a steep cliff face to administer morphine and put Mrs Clark's leg in a splint.

They were unable to carry her back to the ambulance because of the steep terrain and slippery conditions, so called the rescue helicopter.  When it arrived, a crew member dropped down, strapped Mrs Clark in his harness and the pair were reeled back up.

"I love all the adrenalin stuff, so I tried to make the most of the winch experience - unfortunately the morphine probably took away some of the thrill," she said.

The helicopter landed on a hill above, where paramedics put Mrs Clark on a stretcher and flew her to Middlemore Hospital for a five-hour operation.

Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust is asking Manukau residents to be wary of street collectors claiming to be collecting money on behalf of the charity organisation.

The warning comes after three people who said they worked for the Trust were seen outside Westfield Manukau with buckets recently.

Community fundraising manager Kim Walker says the organisation only became aware of the group after a local man noticed something was awry.

"The gentleman called us to ask about the street collectors and that was when we first learned about the scam," she says.

"We have two official street collectors so if neither of them are out collecting then we know something dodgy is going on."

The trio were described as two Pakeha men and a woman all in their early 20s.

They wore high visibility jackets and had cut-out photos of the Westpac rescue helicopter pasted on to their buckets.

"We are extremely concerned by this because we're a charity organisation and we rely on the generosity of the public in order to maintain our service."

Ms Walker says the Trust runs only one street appeal during the year, the Westpac Helicopter Awareness Month appeal which incidentally takes place this Friday.

Collectors will wear full photo identification and also provide an official receipt for donations.

"So keep an eye out for dodgy collectors and if you notice anything suspicious either call our local office or the police," Ms Walker says.

EVERY DONATION HELPS

The Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust wants locals to give generously to the Westpac Chopper Appeal which returns to Manukau on Friday.

The Auckland based Westpac rescue helicopter is the only rescue helicopter service in New Zealand that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, over the whole year.

Based in Mechanics Bay the helicopter serves the greater Auckland region, plus the Coromandel and the Hauraki Gulf islands and carries out around 500 rescues a year.

People can make a donation by dropping into their nearest Westpac branch or to make a $20 donation phone 0900 4CHOPPER.  To make a donation online go to www.chopperappeal.co.nz.

Funds are being sought from the community for Westpac Rescue Helicopters.

The service in Auckland is operated by one of 16 charitable trusts which run rescues nationwide.

The helicopters are like fully-equipped intensive-care units in the sky providing a dedicated 24 hour, 7 day a week service, and are equipped to deal with almost any situation, from a defibrillator for a premature baby to full life-support systems.  They undertook close to 5000 missions nationwide last year.

Most funding comes from the community along with sponsors such as Westpac, which has been a supporter for about 30 years.

The appeal, which runs during May, will be supported by open days at the helicopter bases, the sale of a limited edition range of Huffer gear and fundraising activities, such as auctions, along with a street appeal on May 21.

Westpac is a major sponsor of the Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch Westpac helicopters, and Waikato Air Ambulance.  The services "often make a life or death difference for many New Zealanders", says Mark Graham, of Westpac.  "Thousands will need this service this year.  Next time it could be any one of us, a member of our family or a friend.  Each mission costs thousands of dollars and includes a mix of ambulance and search and rescue work."

Donations can be made at any Westpac branch, by texting CHOPPER to 4483 to donate $3, by phoning 0900-424-67737 to make a $20 donation, or log onto www.chopperappeal.co.nz.

Wife and daughters keep bedside vigil in Auckland Hospital after golfer's 30m fall

As a golfer who fell 30m while trying to retrieve his golf ball underwent a seven hour operation on his spine, two of his daughters were arriving from Taipei to be with him.

Cheng Chuang, 66, also known as Joel, is recovering in Auckland City Hospital after the Tuesday accident at the Howick Golf Course at Musick Point and is in a stable condition.

The retired school teacher was on the 17th hole on the eastern side of the course when his ball disappeared over the cliff.  It is not known how long he had been lying there before he was discovered by a club greenkeeper.  The man called out his name several times before looking over the edge and seeing Mr Chuang's arm.

A neighbour and close friend to Mr Chuang and his wife Yolanda in Bucklands Beach said Mrs Chuang asked him to drive her and an adult daughter who lives with them to the course.  Shane Su said they looked over the side of the cliff but could see only paramedics and the Westpac rescue helicopter, which had been able to land on rocks because it was low tide.  When the helicopter left, they went to the hospital.

Two other daughters left Taipei as soon as they heard the news and arrived in the country on Thursday, Mr Su said.

Mrs Chuang and the couple's three daughters had not left his side since he was admitted to hospital.  Mr Su said the family had lived in New Zealand since 1995 and he had been friends with him for several years.

A Howick Golf Club spokeswoman said Mr Chuang had been a member of the club for 12 years.  Two men arrived at the 17th hole and noticed Mr Chuang's golf bag.  When, after a few minutes, no one appeared to claim the bag, the men told a greenkeeper, who found Mr Chuang.

Man airlifted to hospital by helicopter after falling 30m while looking for his ball.

A golfer was in a serious but stable condition in hospital last night after falling 30m down a cliff while looking for his golf ball.

The 66 year-old fell at Howick Golf Course, Musick Point, near Bucklands Beach in Auckland, yesterday afternoon.  Emergency services were called to the scene at about 3pm.  A grounds man had earlier seen a lone golf cart – which belonged to the injured golfer – not far from the cliff and noticed about 15 minutes later that it had not moved.  The grounds man went to investigate and noticed the man’s arm among rocks when he looked over the side.

Advanced paramedic Chris Deacon, who was part of the Westpac Helicopter Rescue team called out to the emergency, said: “He’s just gone looking for his golf ball and then slipped and fallen. I felt sorry for the guy – I mean, you go out to play golf, you don’t expect this.”

Mr. Deacon said the man’s injuries were serious.

He said it was lucky that he had been spotted by the grounds man, given he was wearing dark clothing.

Because the tide was out, the helicopter was able to land on the rocks near the man, meaning that he did not have to be winched up – therefore preventing more discomfort for him.

The golfer, who is Chinese, was still able to speak, but there was a language barrier.
 
Mr. Deacon said the cliff fall was not an unusual callout for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, even just around the Auckland Region.

The man was airlifted to Auckland City Hospital.

After 20 years in the New Zealand Air Force, advanced paramedic Russell Clarke joined the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust, more commonly known as the Westpac Rescue Helicopter in January this year.

In terms of variety and excitement, it is hard to top the job of a paramedic, particularly a flight paramedic. When Clarke reports for work at the Trust’s base in Mechanics Bay for a shift, he has no idea what he may end up doing that day. In addition to the bread and butter of the job – treating trauma injuries and medical conditions, he is also the one who gets to jump out of the helicopter into the roiling seas, or be winched on to the deck of a pitching yacht in the middle of a storm. He doesn’t know if he’ll end up wearing the bright red paramedic’s overalls, heavy wet weather gear or a wetsuit. Throw in the occasional injury, and it all adds up to an incredibly demanding job.

It’s exciting stuff – exciting enough for a television series, Rescue One, a programme based on the jobs these paramedics, went to air last week with the second series and the first series and the first won a Quantas award for best reality show.

“The diversity of my job is brilliant,” says Clarke. “On one day recently we attended to people injured in a motor vehicle accident, treated a 14 year old boy for burns in the afternoon and picked up a diver with bends in the Coromandel in the evening. You never know what you will get.”   With over 500 missions a year flown from the Auckland base, the diversity of the work is endless. The job of a paramedic on a helicopter requires a huge amount of training, both in becoming qualified to do the job, and also a rigorous and regular training schedule week in, week out. There is an annual fitness test which paramedics are required to pass, and the base is littered with fitness equipment for the staff to keep in good shape. The paramedics are allotted with an hour each week with a professional swimming coach to keep them ready for all eventualities in the water. There is a personal weight limit which the crew are not allowed to breach.

It’s a truly adventurous job, and people are lining up to do it.  But opportunities have to be fought for, and people in the job rarely leave it until they are ready to retire. Auckland is the only base that has full time paramedics essentially on the base all the time, waiting for callouts.  All other rescue helicopter centres in New Zealand involve taking a paramedic off the road when a job is on.  Because the paramedics are at the base 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, response times are extremely quick.  From the initial phone call, crews can be at Waiheke Island in eight minutes, Great Barrier Island in 23 minutes, and the Awhitu Peninsula in 10 minutes and the top of the Coromandel in 20 minutes.

Clarke is immensely well qualified for the job.  His 20 years with the New Zealand Air Force was spent as an airborne paramedic, serving time in East Timor, Afghanistan and Iraq.  He has seen the worst of war – he has been shot at with guns and missiles.  He treated patients for the Bali bombings, and was on duty in Sumatra after the Boxing Day tsunami.  And in all probability he talks ‘shop’ when he goes home – his wife is still a paramedic with the New Zealand Air Force.  It made for an unusual home situation in which Clarke and his wife rarely saw each other; they were both being posted overseas on a regular basis. “The kids just thought ‘Oh, it’s daddy’s turn to look after us now’ when I got home and their mother went away;” says Clarke.

Although essentially the same job, being a paramedic for the helicopter trust is quite different from the Air Force. “It is a relief to know when you are working in New Zealand that the appropriate treatment for your patient is not far away.  In war zones it often isn’t the case, and you tend to spend much longer with your patient,” he says.

He has had his share of patients dying from their injuries, but tries to move on quickly. “You can’t really dwell on those things, or they can affect your ability to do your job.”

The trust covers the area from Wellsford south to the bottom of the Coromandel Peninsula and Huntly. Occasionally longer trips are called, such as the transport of organs to waiting patients in Auckland.  Each crew consists of a pilot, a crewman and one paramedic. The crewman’s job is primarily around the safety of the operation, and also includes the operation of the winch.

The realities of attending to patients in a chopper are challenging. There is a lot of noise, vibration and the effects of altitude.  Space is extremely limited, so everything must be highly organized.  Clarke obtains as much information about a job before he goes so he can figure what equipment he will need, and in what order he will need it.  Airborne paramedics tend to see a lot more trauma (injuries) then medical issues, which would be more common for ambulance paramedics.  The ‘Thomas Pack’ the kit carried by each paramedic is extremely compact, and has backpack straps should Clarke have to be lowered by a winch to a patient.

Once in the chopper, reading of the patient’s vital signs can be sent on ahead to the hospital so that medical staff know what to expect when the helicopter arrives.
There is plenty of paper work, but it’s obvious that the excitement of the job is what motivates the crew.  However, there is also a strong emphasis on safety.  If a job is too risky – the wind too strong, the terrain too difficult - the job is called off. “You want to be able to help the person, but you also want to be able to go home at the end of the day;”  explains Clarke.

There is also a certain fear factor to the job, but Clarke believes that is what keeps the crews safe. “If you’re not feeling fear anymore, it is probably time to give it up.”

The Auckland Rescue Helicopter trust receives no government funding, and is run through generosity of its sponsors and donations from the public. “It’s not uncommon to have a fishing boat operator giving generously to the trust because they know some day they may need us and are thankful we are here,” says Clarke.

Waiheke police made three arrests last week, including one relating to a serious assault, and have been continuing their investigations into the death of Willie Paul.

On Thursday a 35-year old Onetangi man was arrested after a 40-year old man had been attacked in the car park of the Dirt Track Club the previous evening.
Acting Sergeant Steve Clark described it as a “very, very serious” assault and the victim was transported to Auckland Hospital aboard the Westpac Rescue Helicopter. He spent the night and following day in critical care and on life support, tough he is now reported to be recovering well.
The Onetangi resident has been charged with common assault and more serious charges are “pending”.

The Waiheke Ambulance Service was called out 12 times last week, attending at the scene of two incidents and transporting two people to the on-call doctor. They also transported eight people off-island, two via the police launch Deodar, three via the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and three on the Fullers ferry service.

A farewell to a friend resulted in a serious assault and a helicopter trip to hospital for one islander. A funeral at the Waiheke Dirt Track Woolshed last Wednesday ended with a fight between two guests in the car park as the bar was closing.

The fight described by police as a “serious assault” left one man on life support at Auckland Hospital and the other arrested. The assailant, a 35 year-old man from Onetangi, appeared in court the following morning.

The injured man was taken off life support on Thursday afternoon and is recovering. “The victim was transported to Auckland Hospital by Westpac Rescue Helicopter which probably saved his life,” says a police spokesperson.

“He spent the night and following day in critical care and on life support. He is recovering well at Auckland Hospital.”

Friday, April 9
10.30 am  Flies to Whitianga Airfield ro pick up a five-year-old boy with breathing difficulties.  His condition is status two (potentially life threatening), and he is flown to Waikato Hospital with his mother.
8.17 pm  Flies to Port Waikato where a man has collapsed and is in critical condition.  Flies man and his wife to Middlemore Hospital.
Saturday, April 10
2.14 pm Flies to the Weiti River in Silverdale where a microlight has crashed and is upside-down in a paddock.  Lands to find no serious injuries.
2.46 pm Picks up two patients, one with a back injury, from Whitianga and flies them to Waikato Hospital.
5.56 pm Is called to Karaka Bay, near Glendowie, where two people are having difficulties in the water.  Arrives to see the pair reaching shore, checks they are OK and returns to base.
Sunday, April 11
12.53 pm  Flies to Waiheke where a four-year-old girl has been burned.  Flies her and parents to burns unit at Middlemore.
6.55 pm  Is called to Leigh School where a 16 year old boy broke femurs when his motorbike crashed into a car.  Flies boy, in status two condition, with his mother to Auckland City Hospital.

Please note police now saying man flown to Auckland Hospital, Auckland, April 17 NZPA- Waikato police say a man who stepped in front of a petrol tanker was critically injured last night may have been affected by alcohol.

The 24-year-old-man was hit by a tanker as he stood in the middle of the road waving his arms near Maramarua, on the Hauraki Plains, southeast of Auckland, about 10.50pm.

Acting Senior Sergeant Mark Toomey of Huntly police said the Maramarua man left a local café and drove a short distance on Highway 2 before running into a ditch.
“He’s managed to reverse his car out and continue on a short distance on the wrong side of the road before stopping”.

“The man was then seen standing in the middle of the road waving his arms before being struck down by an oncoming southbound fuel tanker.” Mr. Toomey said the man was flown by rescue helicopter to Auckland Hospital where he remained in a critical condition with serious head and chest injuries this afternoon.

It was too early to say why the man crashed into the ditch but alcohol appeared to a factor.

The tanker driver was shaken but not hurt.

Whitianga could become home to the Auckland-based Westpac Rescue Helicopter over the summer months.   Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust chide Bob Parkinson said the idea was “a work in progress”.

“We are exploring the possibility of doing that,” he said.

“There are delicate matters that still have to be talked about before we do it.”

Mr. Parkinson said the operation had a lot of people working for it, as well as logistical support, who would need to be accommodated before any move could be made.

There would need to be somewhere secure to park the helicopter and access to fuel. The base would also have to be wanted by the community, as the helicopter would be making regular flights from its base.

“Over the Christmas period a huge number of missions are on the Coromandel, that’s not including the Hauraki Plains.”

It takes about 20 minutes to fly from the current Mechanics Bay to Coromandel town, about 23 minutes to fly to Whitianga and 30 minutes to fly to Great Barrier Island, depending on weather.

“The population growth over the summer is on the east coast. When we look at the numbers, the majority of missions are on the east coast between Whangamata and Whitianga.”

The helicopter was in Whitianga last week for the Festival of Speed to promote the service and fundraise.

“We rely heavily on public and corporate support.”

The crew of a rescue helicopter serving a quarter of New Zealand’s population take to the skies within minutes of an emergency call. Catherine Woulfe witnesses a typical day of drama.

Sophie Gurnell screamed. Her parents Matt and Louise Gurnell stared at her blankly.  “It took us a second to sort of realise what had happened,” Matt, a kiwi based in the United Kingdom tells me later. A waitress in the Waiheke Island café had spilled a pot of tea down the four year old’s back. “We took her into the café bathroom and just put her in a sink there, just to splash water on her.”

“It was heartbreaking. She’s normally a fairly resilient child but she was clinging to her mum, just screaming in agony.” Watching his daughter, Matt is thinking back to a scalding burn he received when he was about 10.  “It’s like nothing else. You’re curled up in a ball, unable to think through the pain.”  After about 5 minutes the parents carry their hysterical daughter to apartments – where they have booked a room but not yet checked in – next door to the café.  They are on holiday on New Zealand and have been on Waiheke all of 90 minutes.  “We put her in the shower… we were singing songs to try and stop her going into shock.”  “I guess the thing going through my mind at that point was, ‘OK, we’re calling an ambulance, that’s fine, - but what happens after that?’ because last time I checked, there wasn’t a hospital on Waiheke.”

A St John ambulance driver arrives first. The ambulance is about 15 minutes behind, Matt reckons – although his own panic means he’s fuzzy on the detail – and, after assessing Sophie, the paramedics decide hr burn warrants a trip to the main land in the Westpac rescue helicopter.   Auckland’s rescue helicopter base is down an industrial looking side street between the port and the coastal road to Mission Bay. One BK-117B2 helicopter, owned and run by the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust, covers 1.3 million people who live between Te Hana and Meremere, including Coromandel and the Gulf islands. The helicopter and its crew are ready to go at any hour, and day, all year. It’s called out on average 500 times a year and helps with search and rescue operations, picks up injured people from accident scenes and can rescue people from boats or water. It’s also used as a quick transfer between hospitals, or from isolated places, and all of these missions are free.

It’s been a quiet Sunday so far, much as the crew were hoping for. At 12.53pm I’m in the smoko room, which has an 180-degree vista over the harbour, having lunch with crewman Leon Ford, 49. Ford lets the phone ring twice, then casually picks it up, listens, and puts it back down again. Someone else has picked it up in the ops room, he says. Six phones ring when an emergency call comes in.

A couple of minutes later I’m in the helicopters shotgun seat, fumbling with the four-part seatbelt and watching the crew prepare for takeoff.
Advanced paramedic Stefan Gabor, 36, is in the back. Pilot Rob Anderson, 34, is flicking approximately 87,000 dials and switches on the dash in front of me. And Ford is on a dinky little yellow tractor thing, towing the helicopter and trailer out of its hangar. Once we’re clear, he walks around the helicopter, checking doors are closed and nothings hanging out. (Once he says, he left a strap dangling out a door, and it stripped the paint odd the back of the chopper.)
“You have got to be methodical,” Ford says. “Always questioning what you’re doing, and why you’re doing it.”   We’re still not entirely sure the chopper is actually needed, until Ford crackles through the helicopter’s comms system.  “That’s an affirm.”

And we’re off. It’s a stunning day on the Hauraki Gulf. Wide blue sky, flat blue sea. A voice comes over the headphones. “Traffic, one o’clock, high one mile.”
Anderson glances up. A small plane buzzes past overhead.

We land on a patch of bare land and gravel at Isola Estate vineyard. The ambulance is parked in the middle of the gravel, facing us. Gabor is first out of the chopper.
Five minutes later, when the chopper has shut down and I’m allowed out, I hear Gabor talking to the four year old.   “Sophie, we’ve got a little drink for you. It’s got medication in it; it’s going to make you feel better.”  Ford hops into the ambulance for a minute, then has a quick chat with Anderson.
“Can we take the mum and dad?” Weight limits are all-important in the chopper – the crews have to be under 85kg to get one of the coveted spots in the team, and these three talk about going without water and food so they could scrape through the weigh-in.

The final call is Anderson’s. After some calculations its decided the parents can go, but I’ll have to stay behind.  Louise emerges from the ambulance and walks towards the helicopter carrying her daughter. Matt follows, looking rumpled and shocked, carrying plastic bags stuffed with clothes.
The couple and given a safety briefing and strapped into the back of the chopper. Gabor leans over his patient. “How you doing now Sophie? Are you feeling sleepy now, Sophie?”  Louise is lying on the stretcher, holding her daughter, who is clutching her favorite white stuffed bunny. She looks up from Sophie long enough to say quietly “She’s starry-eyed now.”  The chopper lifts off and I’m left with St John volunteer Chris, who is giving me a lift to the ferry. He was first on the scene and says Sophie has burns to 8% of her body.  It’s a mixture of first and second degree burns, Partial thickness burns with blistering. Burns are unspeakably painful. Ten out of 10 pain.  “This is a classic example of the way that we use the helicopter here. Anywhere else she would have had too go to hospital by car.”

On the helicopter, Gabor and Ford are doing their best to make sure the Gurnells know exactly what is going on. They are all given headphones. Matt, suddenly sitting down with nothing to do, goes quiet. Ford keeps a close eye on him. “He could tell I was starting to have a pretty bad day,” Matt says. “He patted me on the shoulder and said ‘are you okay?’ Yeah, yeah, I’ll be right.”   “At every stage it was all being talked through, how far away we were from Middlemore, and what would happen once we got there and who would be waiting on the ground for us. . .”   Later, Gabor explains. “You end up in that situation, three patients need to be reassured. The calmer [the parents are], the calmer she’s going to be and that’s what’s most important.   Ford cuts in: “. . . and you don’t want to upset Rob [the pilot] because then we’ll all be in the shit.”   So how does Gabor calm a panicking patient?   “You slap them in the face,” he deadpans. “No, it’s basically an introduction and then I try and get everyone to try and speak calmly. I tell them exactly what’s happening, and what the plan is. If it’s not good, I probably won’t say it. Just keeping a calm voice, smiling at them, using their name lots. As soon as they see you start to poo your pants, they think it’s time to panic.

“I won’t lie to patients . . . If a patient is in a really bad way, normally they’re not really conscious enough for me to tell them. It’s normally the family I would have to tell. That happens often, like very often. I’ll say they’re really, really unwell. I’m not very hopeful, is there anybody we can call to be with you?”   “You have to remove yourself a little bit. Sometimes it’s sad parts of life. People do die. You do lose people. Kids, you know? I don’t have kids, but I find that crewmen and medics and pilots that have kids quite often after a bad job they’ll ring their family, want to talk to their kids or just want to swing by home if they can.   “Everyone has their triggers, for everyone it’s different.”   I ask Gabor what his trigger is. He’s just told me about watching elderly couples say goodbye, “people that have been together for 50 years, 60 years, and you see the way they still care about each other”.   But put on the spot, he just grins. “I don’t have any triggers because I’m hard as nails. You can write that ‘he says with a laugh’ people will think I’m a wanker.”

Ford is the most experienced here today. He’s spent 11 years in the Westpac team but was made redundant last year and now works part-time.
How did he get into the crew?   “When I applied, I found out who was in front of me and I killed them.”   Ford’s roughest day at work, he reckons, was the first time he had to man the winch on the chopper, lowering the paramedic into the sea next to a yacht that had rolled and de-masted.   “Sixty miles off the back of [Great] Barrier.”
Dramatic pause.   Anderson politely: “Oh. Was it?”   Ford ignored him and waits another beat.   “Thirty foot swells.”
Anderson is flabbergasted. “Your first one?”   Ford: “I was pretty nervous, and I’m sure the paramedic was pretty nervous
. . . When you’re winching on land, the land in generally not moving. When you’re winching to a boat or anyone on the water, everything is moving. The helicopter, the water and the person.

So you’re trying to line up a whole lot of different things to be in the same spot at the same time.”   Three people were pulled off the boat that day.
Ford moves into his near-miss story, about a late-night flight to the scene of a car accident between Warkworth and Wellsford. They’d been warned about wires on the side of the road and were avoiding those, when the pilot swore.   He’d spotted more wires, directly level with the chopper, about 20m ahead.
“We backed out of there very slowly . . . shut down and had a bit of a talk about how lucky we were,” Ford says. “We were coming in nice and slowly but the dangerous thing about is it, if we’d and landed and missed it on the way in, and then backed up into it on the way out . . .”

Anderson’s turn. He’s a self-confessed mummy’s boy, an enthusiastic joker who has been with the Westpac crew a year or two, and is still fascinated by “all the blood, and little thing going ‘beep, beep’.”   He’s known since he was 14 that he wanted to be a rescue helicopter pilot. It was day out volunteering with the Wellington coast guard that got him hooked.   “There was a big converted fishing trawler, it was a wooden trawler that had been converted into a pleasure boat. It was sinking and as very, very sunk, like the decks were awash. We took it in tow. We were trying to tow it for about an hour to two and we moved it backwards for half a mile.
“Then the Wellington rescue helicopter came out and lowered down two personnel and a pump from the Fire Service to try and pump it out. It was quite magical. It was quite a rough day, we were crashing around, the trawler was crashing around. And this helicopter . . . I don’t know, it just looked really cool. It looked like a guardian angel. No shit. It looked amazing. I can still remember crystal clear.”   Gabor and Ford are looking at him, eyebrows raised. Anderson snaps out of his reverie and mimes wiping his eyes. “Oh look, I’ve got a little tear.”

Sophie spends two nights at Middlemore Hospital and by Tuesday afternoon, when I speak to her father, she is out of hospital, tired, but happy. “She’s doing fine,” Matt says. “She had to go into theatre to get what’s called a scrub-down on her back, it’s a fairly brutal-sounding procedure, but luckily she was under general anaesthetic for that.”

Doctors coasted Sophie’s back with a membrane called biobrane, which will act like a second skin and help her heal.
“I mean it’s all down her back but it could have been worse. Could’ve been her scalp, could’ve been her face,” says her father. “It’s a tragic experience but you know, we left Middlemore today thinking at no part of the whole ambulance-helicopter-Middlemore process we were left waiting, wanting or concerned. And certainly the bit that the Westpac guys did in the middle was just fantastic.”

Teen girl loses battle to save classmate

A teenage girl who tried desperately to save her classmate from drowning has told of the moment he was ripped from her arms.

Tu'a Alo, 17, was one of a group of students from Tangaroa College in South Auckland who were on a geography field trip to Muriwai Beach on Friday.  Her good friend and neighbour, 18 year old Edward Magalogo - known as Eddy - was also on the trip.

Tu'a, a Year 13 student, was standing in knee-deep water with Edward when she saw him lose his balance and fall into the surf.  She believes he was affected by some kind of medical condition.  "His head fell near my leg," she said.  "I reached down and grabbed him and brought him back up.  He was wiping his eyes like he couldn't see."

The two were about to turn to face the waves when "this massive wave came up from behind us and took us out, far".  The pair were taken out of their depth.  "That's when I started panicking," Tu'a told the Herald.

"I grabbed Eddy's hand and we were just holding hands, going under and screaming for help.  The last thing he said to me was 'Just scream out for help'."  But another wave separated them.  "I turned around and Eddy was face down.  I started crying when I saw him face down in the water.  I was screaming, 'Help, help, help'."

A surfer, his brother and a woman made their way towards the pair to help, while Tu'a tried to reach Edward.  "When they put him on the surfboard, Eddy's face was already white and his lips were purple.  I was crying and crying and telling him, 'Come on bro, you can do it, pull through'."

Students rushed to get Edward out of the water, then began CPR - a procedure they had been learning at school that week.  "Everybody was crying.  All the boys were trying to be strong and telling Eddy, 'Come on uso (brother), be strong, you can do this'."

The Westpac rescue helicopter flew Edward, unconscious, to Auckland City Hospital, where he died on Sunday morning.

Edward's grieving parents - who do not want to be named - have disputed earlier reports that their son's life support system was turned off.  They say he died peacefully about 8.20 am.  His mother said she felt "empty" when she was told her son was in hospital in a critical condition.  HIs family say Edward - who was also known by his Samoan name, Eti - was always cheeky, but forever helping others.

An older sister said: "He was our babysitters, dishwasher, rubbish man.  He would do everything and anything for anybody."

Edward's family are Mormans and he had planned to become a missionary.  Tu'a said she had wanted to visit Edward on Friday night, but had been told by a school dean not to go.  "I wanted to say my last words to him.  I wanted to go in and say, 'I'm sorry I couldn't help you to get out of the water'."  "I think she (the dean) wanted to protect me ... but the teachers told the family he came out to save a girl - me - when that wasn't true."

Tangaroa College will hold a memorial assembly for Edward today.

Sea and air searches were expected to continue today for a man who went missing in an ill-fated fishing trip on the Firth of Thames on Friday night.

Three Polynesian friends waded into mudflats at Kawakawa Bay, 50 km east of Auckland, to spearfish flounder.  One was found drowned several hours later and another fisherman is missing - presumed dead.

Constable John Saunders from the police maritime unit in Auckland said the third friend was uncomfortable about being in the water and tried to persuade his friends to turn back with him.  "There was an incoming tide and he wasn't that keen on the water swirling around his legs.  He couldn't convince the other two to swim back.  They decided to press on.  They failed to return to their vehicle."

Saunders said the third man did not raise the alarm, but residents heard cries for help about 4.50 am and called police.  However, one man had already drowned.

Police believe the drowned man was the only competent swimmer of the group, although the men had fished for flounder in the area "half a dozen times" before.

Saunders said it was not clear at this stage whether alcohol was involved, and language proved to be a barrier to obtaining further details.

A Westpac rescue helicopter crew member said the helicopter had been called to the incident after nearby residents heard some men screaming for help.  The rescue helicopter crew and police divers continued to search the wider area for the missing man yesterday.  The dead man had been identified by police, but next of kin were still being notified.

A high school student has undergone surgery after suffering severe burns from a technology class assignment gone wrong yesterday.

The Year 10 student from Waiuku College, southwest of Auckland, was airlifted to Middlemore Hospital in south Auckland about 9.45 am after being splashed with burning methylated spirits.

Fire Service northern communications centre shift manager, Scott Osmond, said the student appeared to have 50 - 60 percent burns.  "Anything over 20 percent is horrendous in the case of burns," he said.

Waiuku College deputy principal, Mark Nickless, said the student was having surgery yesterday afternoon.  He said the student was fuelling a power boat made in a technology class when the spillage happened.  "We're talking to as many people as we can to find out exactly what happened, and we've called in occupational safety and health people," he said.

"It's certainly not what normally happens in a technology class."

Two other students suffered minor injuries, and one was suffering from shock.

West coast beaches 4 to 6 foot surf
East coast 2 foot with clear calm waters.
Light traffic and no hold-ups.
Southerly wind at 10knots, temp 20 deg, clouds few.
Plenty of room at all beaches, the pick being the east coast.
Lots of boats out enjoying conditions

The body of a middle-aged man without a lifejacket was found floating in Auckland's Waitemata Harbour yesterday, reviewing safety calls.

The man, believed to be in his 50's, was discovered about 500m from the Marine Rescue Centre headquarters in Mechanics Bay about 3pm by a couple sailing past in their 40ft launch.  Police were lastnight looking for his car and trailer to confirm his identity and inform next of kin.

The man was lying face down and fully clothed and his 16ft runabout was floating overturned nearby.

Sergeant Martin Paget of the Police Maritime Unit said the woman who spotted the body tried to resuscitate the man but he was already dead.  The Westpac Rescue Helicopter and Coastguard carried out an air and sea search for about an hour before confirming only one person had been on the boat.

Paget said the water was "rough" but they did not know how the man came to be in the water.  "The boat, for some reason unknown, had turned over near Mechanics Bay," he said.  "The only vessel that saw him, despite there being a number of boats around, was a couple in a launch that was passing by him."  "They spotted what they thought was a corpse and got alongside him and tried to revive him.  A paramedic attended and tried to help, but unfortunately it was too late.  We won't know how this has all come to happen until the investigation continues next week."

Paget said the man had a lifejacket on board but was not wearing it.  His death served as a tragic reminder to other boaties to always wear a lifejacket.

"Where it happened was basically in spitting distance of the Coastguard, police and paramedics who could have potentially helped him earlier if he had been wearing a lifejacket.  It's extremely unfortunate."

Sophie Hazelhurst of Maritime New Zealand said about 60% of recreational boating deaths were caused by people not wearing lifejackets.  "The message is getting out there but many people do take a 'she'll be right' attitude," said Hazelhurst.  "People don't think it's going to happen to them and they don't realise how quickly things can go wrong."

Hazelhurst said the National Pleasure Boat Safety Forum - an advisory group including Maritime NZ, Coastguard and Water Safety New Zealand - was aiming to enable harbourmasters to issue infringement notices on anyone not wearing a lifejacket.  "Our aim is to make it as automatic as putting on a seatbelt."

Kiwis will have the opportunity to co-pilot a jetliner alongside one of 17 Kiwi celebs who will be captaining flights in April.  Thankfully, none will actually be leaving the ground - it's a simulator flight to raise money for the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust.

Organised by 16 year old Kings College student, Lewis Simmons, the 3 - 4 April and 10 - 11 April simulator flights are up for auction on Sella.co.nz.  Celebs involved include television's Renee Wright, Dai Henwood and Beth Allen.  Private simulator flights, sans celebrity, are also up for auction with a Buy Now price of $200 - a 20% discount on normal pricing.  A range of other items, including a Shortland Street pack and a day in the ZM Black Thunders are also up for auction.

WEST COAST 2M SWELL OFFSHORE AND CHOPPY
EAST COAST 1.5-2M SWELL ONSHORE BREEZE
LIGHT TRAFFIC AND NO HOLD UPS
15 KNOTS SE WIND TEMP COOL IN EXPOSED AREAS, PLEASANT ON THE EAST COAST
PLENTY OF KITE SURFERS ON EAST COAST AND SURFERS ON THE WEST COAST
WATER VERY MURKY INSHORE BOTH COASTS
A FEW YACHTS OUT IN THE FRESH BREEZE NOT A LOT OF FISHING ACTIVITY

A generous donation from an octogenarian couldn't have come at a better time for the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust.  Trevor Hudson decided he's skip the presents when he turned 80 in January.  "At 80, presents just aren't important any more," he says.  Instead, the Parnell resident asked his friends and family to donate to the Trust that provides a life-saving service to the community.

He spread his birthday out over Christmas and January by hosting various events to suit each group of friends, raising $1202 for the charity.  Mr Hudson was thrilled with the outcome.  "I was as impressed by the attitude of my friends and how they subscribed to it than I was of my own involvement" he says.  :If I was the catalyst to them doing something similar in a few years time then hopefully the Trust will benefit from it."

Rescue helicopter manager, Greg Brownson, says Mr Hudson's thoughtfulness is much appreciated.

January was the Trust's busiest month in nearly 20 years.

"We've had more than 80 missions in January and it was the first time for many years that we had to get the helicopter maintenance done twice in the same month," Mr Brownson says.

Mr Hudson chose the Trust to benefit from his birthday because the Parnell base is close to home and he was aware of the vital service it provides.  "They deserve every penny they get."

A close friend of his was transferred to hospital by the helicopter in October after she suffered a stroke.  She recovered well, which Mr Hudson says was partly because of the fast and efficient response of the helicopter team.

Pair critically injured after ignoring safety barrier

Police are trying to establish what up to five men were doing on Piha Beach's notorious Lion Rock in the moments before two of them fell at least 60m early yesterday.

The two men, aged 18 and 31, were last night in a critical condition in Auckland City Hospital with head injuries and bone fractures.

Lifesaver, Jonathon Webber, said another man in the group alerted him shortly after the pair fell and he prepared himself to recover two bodies.  But what the group were doing there in the dead of night, and how they had breached a high barrier to reach the dangerous cliffs, was still not known.

Detective Sergeant Stan Brown of Henderson said police had spoken to one man who was present when the pair fell, about 12.15 am.  He had given his version of events, but police needed to stack up that story by talking to the victims.

Mr Brown would not say what the man said.  "He's told us a story.  We're at that stage in the inquiry where we don't know if it's the truth."

Police believe the two men went to Piha between 11 pm and midnight in a white Nissan ute seen at the beach overnight on Tuesday.

Mr Webber said he had seen three other men in the carpark in front of Lion Rock following the accident.  He believed they and the injured pair were all part of the same group.  Mr Webber learned of the accident shortly after midnight when one of the group, who was described as Maori or Pacific Islander, knocked on his door.

"I'd just made a midnight snack when I heard a tap on the ranch-slider ... this guy was visibly distressed and he was quite out of breath.  He said two people had fallen off Lion Rock."  The man told Mr Webber the pair had walked past a barrier, about 60m up the rock, which warns people not to go any further because of erosion.  "The minute I heard that information I immediately thought I'd be coming across a couple of dead bodies."

Mr Webber radioed Surf Lifesaving headquarters before taking a club quad bike down the beach.  He arrived at the south side of the rock to find the injured men lying on uneven ground next to each other.  "If you can imagine two people top and tailing in a bed, that's exactly how they were lying," he said.  "They were both unconscious.  One was making a grunting sound with every breath.  His airway was compromised ... he had a large open wound to the head.  "(The other man's) leg was at a funny angle.  They were lying on a lot of loose clay-type dirt so it was really difficult to get footing."

Fire service personnel arrived and lip up the area while Mr Webber - a registered nurse at Auckland City Hospital - helped tend to the pair.  One was loaded onto Mr Webber's quad bike and driven to the Westpac rescue helicopter waiting in the carpark.  The other man was taken to the carpark in the back of a firefighter's 4WD.

Mr Webber said he could not smell alcohol on either man.

Access to Lion Rock was cut off yesterday as five people - helped with access by a specialist rescue team - did a scene examination, focusing on an area about two-thirds of the way up the 101m rock.

A reward of $1500 has been offered for information leading to a conviction in the wake of a New Year's Eve assault that left island resident, Jason Edmunds, comatose for a day and needing 17 stitches to a head wound.

The offer of the reward, from friends of Jason, comes in the hope someone can clear up the confusion surrounding the night's events.

Jason left Charlie Farley's in Onetangi on New Year's Eve and was later found unconscious on the street.  An ambulance was called and he was airlifted via the Westpac Rescue Helicopter with severe head injuries.

Police Constable, Damion Neal said "he probably had been assaulted" and the police are still seeking information.

(Abridged version)

It's that time again when the Ulysses Club rallies motorcyclists from the greater Auckland area to get together and cross Auckland's Harbour Bridge en masse to raise money for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.  The 15th annual charity motorcycle ride will this year be held on Sunday March 14, the gathering point again the NZ Bloodstock Centre at Karaka adjacent to the Papakura off-ramp on Auckland's southern motorway.

Ride START time is 9 am sharp so if you want to join the thousands of others expected this year get there by 8.00 am.

The rides takes those who sign up north up the southern motorway and across the harbour bridge to AUT's Akoranga Drive campus on the North Shore.  The ride is run wet or fine and badges and t-shirts will be available.  For more information contact Richard on 09 482 0478.  The ride has the support of Kiwirider, motormail, bits4bikes, Radio Hauraki and John Baker Insurance.

(Photo by Michelle Geange, ARHT)

During the second half of 2009 we invited kids to enter a colouring-in contest through our newsletter 'Chopper Chat'

The winning entry selected by the helicopter crew is shown below, and was produced by Aaron Jackson, aged 5. For his wonderful effort he has been sent a package of assorted helicopter goodies. Well done Aaron!

West coast beaches 3 to 4 foot surf up to 5 foot on the sets with a mid afternoon high tide.
East coast 2 foot with clear calm waters.
Light traffic and no hold-ups.
Southerly wind at 10knts, temp 22 deg, clouds few.
Plenty of room at all beaches, with a surf club comp at south piha.
Lots of boats out enjoying conditions on Auckland harbour and the Manukau harbour.

WEST COAST 2'-4' ONSHORE AND CHOPPY
EAST COAST 1/2' OFFSHORE BREEZE
LIGHT TRAFFIC AND NO HOLD UPS
5-10KNOTS SW WIND, Warm muggy day. Light showers in the area with a 900-1200 ft cloudbase
Some form of very large fish/mammal in the Rangitoto Channel. Very big splash by something hitting the surface.
Small numbers of beach goers. Congratulations to the newly weds at Weinderholm:)
LOTS OF SMALL YACHTS ENJOYING THE FRESH WIND CONDITIONS

Slightly larger surf on the east cost compared to west coast beaches.
No traffic problems on the main routes.Traffic flowing freely
Wind today SW
Lot of people and surfers on the East Coast Beaches Great boating conditions Large number of people at the Long Bay.
West Coast beaches with good numbers even late in the day. 1000 people reported on orewa beach in the early arvo. We were responded to a motorbike vs tree near Orere. We uplifted a male pt in a Status 2 (Serious) condition and uplifted him to Middlemore hospital.
Once again still plenty of larger vessels in the east coast sheltered anchorages.Large numbers of boats fishing out from the Manukau Bar. Plenty of divers and free divers taking advantage of the conditions on the west coast.

Slightly larger surf on the east cost compared to west coast beaches.
No traffic problems on the main routes.Traffic flowing freely
Wind today 5 to 10 knts Easterly to NNE
Some large rays in the shallows along the east coast beaches
Lot of people and surfers on the East Coast Beaches Great boating conditions Large number of people at the Long Bay.
West Coast beaches with good numbers even late in the day
Once again still plenty of larger vessels in the east coast sheltered anchorages. Large numbers of boats fishing out from the Manukau Bar

1m Surf on West Coat - Strong onshore wind and surf on all eat coast beaches
No traffic problems on the main routes.Traffic flowing freely
Wind today 15 to 20 kts
No marine life sighted
Large numbers of kite boarders from Orewa through to Takapuna. Strong On shore winds.
Minimal boating activity due to strong easterly winds.

Rescue services flat-out with 25 callouts by 5pm yesterday

One man is missing at sea and almost a dozen needed rescuing after 24 hours of maritime chaos in the Hauraki Gulf.

Auckland Coastguard had 25 callouts before 5 pm yesterday in what they said was an "extremely busy day".  "We've had pretty much everything today," Auckland Coastguard duty officer, Mark Leevers, said.  Before 11.30 am they had three distress and five mechanical calls with distress calls for sinking boats, capsizes, boats catching fire and suffering mechanical breakdowns.

"To have that number of urgent assists in such a short space of time is certainly something of note," Leevers said.

Two men were plucked from the water by the Coastguard after their boat sank near Island Bay, off Birkenhead Point in the Waitemata Harbour, about 4km from the Harbour Bridge.

After a search by air and on the water, the men were found desperately clutching a mostly submerged 5m fibreglass boat about 7.30 am yesterday.

A woman from the Te Atatu Boat Club, where the boat was launched from, said the pair were "pretty stressed".  She said the two men launched their boat at 1pm Friday afternoon.

Westpac helicopter paramedic, Bruce Kerr, said it took a while to locate the men.  "They had come from Te Atatu.  [The boat] had sunk underneath them.  It seemed quite sudden.  It probably ruined their fishing day," Kerr said.  The two men were unhurt.

Three hours after that rescue, another small vessel sank off Kauri Point, also in the Waitemata Harbour.  Three people made it safely to shore.

Another vessel caught fire about 9.30 am.  The Coastguard arrived 25 minutes later but the fire had been put out.

The six people on board were helped to Maraetai and no one was injured, Leevers said.

Two more small vessels also capsized during the day with no one injured.

Leevers urged people to check the seaworthiness of their boats and the engines, and said to make sure they had enough fuel and two forms of reliable communication.

Yesterday morning a fisherman was washed off the rocks at Waimakariri near Christchurch.  He was picked up by Coastguard and taken to Christchurch Hospital with hypothermia.

Last night a search was ongoing for a swimmer who was reported missing about 9.45 pm on Friday at Browns Bay Beach.  The man was reported getting into difficulty near a buoy about 200m from shore.  The Westpac Rescue Helicopter arilifted a man, in his 50's, from Muriwai Beach after he was dumped by a big wave yesterday afternoon.  The man was transported to Auckland City Hospital suffering from back injuries.

Surf clubs around the country reported a quiet day, despite thousands of people heading for the beach to make the most of the fine weather.  More than 4000 people watched the Northern Regional Surf Lifesaving Championships at Mt Maunganui.

Slight .5 m East Coast calm conditions West coast 1 m Southerly swells
No traffic problems on the main routes.Traffic flowing freely
Wind today 5 to 10 kts . Overcast with passing showers.
3 or 4 Hammerheads spotted near Ohama
Lot of people and surfers on the East Coast Beaches Great boating conditions Large number of people at the Tawharanui regional Park.
West Coast smaller numbers on beaches, few surfers at Muriwai
Once again still plenty of larger vessels in the east coast sheltered anchorages.With quite few water sking on the glass calm areas

A head-on collision just south of Tairua yesterday morning caused a traffic snarl-up which lasted several hours.

Large trucks sat idle while emergency services worked to clear the scene of the crash that happened at 9.15 am near the intersection of State Highway 25 and Red Bridge Rd.

Smaller cars were gradually allowed through after one lane was opened shortly after the crash, but many were forced to wait more than an hour.

Hamilton man, Darren Martin, was leaving Tairua when he got caught in the traffic.  Mr Martin said he was stopped about 10 to 15 cars back from the accident scene, yet it still took him an hour to travel the short distance - about 200 metres.

He saw one stationwagon, with bad frontal damage, in the middle of the road while a second car was down a bank.

The road was fully opened at 2 pm and large trucks allowed through.

Northern fire communications spokesman, Jaron Phillips, said two people were trapped in the car that left the road and went down the bank.

The front seat passenger was freed about 10 am.  It took until 11 am to free the driver.

Both were airlifted to Waikato Hospital by the Westpac Auckland Rescue Helicopter.  Chopper medic, Chris Deacon, said the patients, in their 60's, were in a serious condition.

Two people in the other car also suffered injuries.

Ashley Steve of Thames entertains the crowd at the annual Concert in the Orchard in Pauanui on Saturday.  A crowd of several hundred people relaxed on the side of a hill on Gary and Anne Fowler's farm to enjoy the music and raise funds for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter service in Auckland and Hamilton.  Rain from earlier in the day stayed away as the audience lounged on deck chairs and blankets and the only sign of trouble was a beach umbrella or two falling victim to the occasionaly strong gust of wind.

(Picture by Clint Fletcher)

A garden party fundraising in aid of three Waiheke-based charities held in brilliant sunshine at the Korora Road home of Don and Maureen Robertson raised more than $120,000 last weekend.

The event took over from the annual Waiheke hospice fundraiser and extended the focus to include the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Trust and the Hauraki Gulf Conservation Trust, which was originally established in 1997 by the Auckland City Council with the aim of initiating and supporting environmental projects in the Hauraki Gulf.

The Trust has been involved in environmental projects on Great Barrier, Motuihe and Waiheke, including projects such as feral cat eradication and tree pruning, as well as supporting the work of the Friends of McKenzie Reserve at Enclosure Bay and providing financial support to the restoration of an important wetland area at the back of Waiheke High School.

Three hundred and forty guests, including Lady Pippa Blake, who donated artwork to the auction, attended the event.

The impressive sum raised last Saturday came from a combination of ticket sales and auctioned items, which included everything from business class tickets to Europe and Louis Vuitton luggage to the more modest but world-famous-on-Waiheke tamarind chutney.  The money will be divided evenly between the three organisations.

Food and wine was provided by Goldwater Estate and Island Thyme Catering and the afternoon was made possible by the tireless work of 50 volunteers and the behind-the-scenes organisational skills of a number of people, including former community board chairwoman Kate Hastings and Michelle Boag, head of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Trust.

Host Don Robertson was delighted with the amount raised and the event itself.

"It was a wonderful day with a relaxed and happy atmosphere.  So many people worked so hard to make the event a success."

1-2m Swell West Coast beaches, smooth on east coast.
No traffic problems on the main routes.Traffic flowing freely'
Wind today 15 to 20 kts Sw
No marine life sighted
Lot of people and surfers at Piha beach due to world under 18 Surf competitions.
East Coast few people at beaches.
Minimal recreational boats, few yachts

As the summer holidays draw to a close the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust and SkyCity Auckland are celebrating the success of the daily SkyCity Beach Patrol.

The daily service came to an end last weekend but continues as a weekend service until Easter.

The initiative saw the helicopter take a regular return run from its base in Mechanics Bay, up the east coast to Omaha Beach and back down the west coast beaches.

Trust Chief Executive, Bob Parkinson, says the proactive service was in addition to the standard call-out arrangement which saw the Westpac Rescue Helicopter respond to call-outs for emergency accident, medical or search and rescue purposes.

He says the patrol was a great addition to its community service.

“We have been able to provide reports on beach and traffic conditions, and on several patrols we have been enlisted for emergency missions which has enabled us to provide an extremely fast response, ensuring the best possible outcome,” Mr Parkinson says.

Among the missions the beach patrol was involved in was a December 27 incident where they were called to a young boy suffering a cardiac arrest at Whangateau, who was breathing but unresponsive. The helicopter crew responded and took him to Starship Children’s Hospital for treatment.

On January 9, the beach patrol was called by the ambulance to a 50 year old man who was near drowning at Whitianga. The crew took him to Middlemore Hospital.

Adrenaline, quick-thinking and a good knowledge of CPR combined to save a man’s life after an early morning road crash at Piha.

Rescuer Bruce Simpson was bunking down at a mate’s place on Marine Parade when he heard a smash on the road outside around 2 am. The volunteer lifeguard rushed outside and found a vehicle in the creek. The people-mover was upside down and under water when he reached it.

Bruce, 23, whipped off his shirt and jandals and dived in. The doors were locked. “I tried to pull them open and then kick the back window with my foot,” the Te Atatu South resident says. “It was dark and I was right under the water.”

A passer-by gave him a car jack which he used to smash the glass. Bruce couldn't’t see anything but reached inside where the car’s occupants grabbed at his hands. He managed to drag three to safety.

“They were screaming and crying, saying there’s still someone in there,” Bruce says. “I told a guy on the bank to come in and hold my legs. I went under again but I was running out of breath.”

Bruce managed to get the fourth occupant out through a side window just at his friend, Mario Ozich from Swanson, joined him in the shoulder deep water.

“The guy was pretty much dead,” Mario says. “We checked his airway and he wasn’t breathing. We put him on top of the car which was the flattest place we could find to start CPR on him.”

The men were ecstatic when their patient started breathing again. “He spewed up water and vomit but was still unconscious,” Mario, 22, says. “You could hear his breathing but it was really husky.”

The victim was lifted to the bank where an off-duty St John member took over.

The Westpac rescue helicopter arrived soon after and flew the man to Auckland Hospital in a critical condition.

Bruce received several injuries during his heroic rescue.

“I was bleeding everywhere from cuts on my arms. I’ve got a big gash on the bottom of my foot.”

The pair are modest about their life-saving actions.

“It’s a bit surreal to think we saved people’s lives. It only kicks in when you talk about it,” Bruce says. “I’m just glad that we were there.”

Mario, who learned CPR at his construction job a year ago, knew one of the car’s passengers from his days at school.

“He facebooked me and said how thankful he was. He also asked for Bruce’s number,” Mario says.

The serious crash unit is investigating.

A 50 year old boatie was found dead in the hull of a capsized boat in Auckland's Manukau Harbour yesterday.

The boat overturned at 8 am and three of the four crew were rescued soon after 4 pm.  One was in a semi-conscious state and had to be airlifted to hospital by the Westpac rescue helicopter.

The boat was brought into shallow waters by the Coastguard and was righted around 6 pm.

It is understood the deceased and another crew member were swept into the boat's cabin by a wave but it is not yet known why the boat overturned, Inspector Lance Burdett said last night.  "One of the witnesses saw a wave throw them into the cabin."

One man is lucky to be alive after a car crash at Piha, west of Auckland, overnight.  A police northern communications centre spokesman said the head-on crash left a vehicle containing four people upside-down in a creek and a male passenger submerged in water.  The spokesman said the crash happened near where a couple of parties were being held, and someone at the scene performed CPR on the injured occupant after he was dragged free from the wreckage.  He was flown in the Westpac rescue helicopter to Auckland Hospital.  Police are investigating whether the crash was a result of dangerous driving. 

Slight .5 m East Coast calm conditions West coast 1 m Southerly swells
Wind today 5 to 10 knts
No marine life sighted
A lot of people and surfers on the East Coast Beaches Great boating conditions Large number of people at the Tawharanui regional Park.
West Coast starting to get a lot of beach goers arriving at most of the major spots also rock fisherman at Bethells and Muriwai
Once again still plenty of larger vessels in the east coast sheltered anchorage.with quite a few water sking on the glass calm areas.

1-2m swell on the west coast, no swell of any significance on the east coast.
No traffic problems on the main routes other than very slow from Windy ridge to Warkworth.
Wind today west 10 knts
Great looking day at the beaches good numbers of people at all the main spots. Most of the swimmers were utilising the the Surf Life Saving flagged areas. Good to see!
Plenty of vessels in the east coast sheltered anchorages, recreational fishing and yachting

Slight 3-4ft swell on the west coast, no swell of any significance on the east coast. Nearly all beaches had swimmers and sunbathers.
No traffic problems on the main routes.
Wind today west 10 kts
Marine life: None spotted on west coast however most east coast beaches had a shark or 2 approx 4-500m offshore.
Long Bay had a school of hammerheads 400m offshore
Great looking day at the beaches good numbers of people at all the main spots. Most of the swimmers were utilising the the Surf Life Saving flagged areas. Good to see!
Small numbers of recreational boats around

Slight 3-4ft swell on the west coast, no swell of any significance on the east coast.
No traffic problems on the main routes.
Wind today west 10 knts
Very Very quiet, not even any eeeeeep, eeeeeeps! (Dolphins) The odd mermaid or two.
Great looking day at the beaches good numbers of people at all the main spots. Most of the swimmers were utilising the Surf Life Saving flagged areas. Good to see!
Plenty of larger vessels in the east coast sheltered anchorages, perhaps enjoying more holidays?

West coast has moderate winds from the SW with a 3-4ft messy swell, Choppy conditions with a strong offshore wind on the East coast.
Traffic is light to beaches out west, and East No traffic problems seen north of Auckland.
Wind today southwest 15 knts
A few gannets working in close on the east coast.
Some set nets set very close in at Mirangi Bay and Stanmore Bay, could pose a possible danger.
Plenty of larger vessels in the east coast sheltered anchorages. a few naughty jet skiers in close.

Surf on the west coast beaches of Auckland is a southwest swell of 3 to 5 foot, and the east coast beaches are mainly flat with a very small wave at Omaha.
Traffic is light to beaches out west, and East
Wind today southwest 20 knts
28 fishermen fishing on west coast beaches.

West good surf. Busy at Piha, as Coke has a promotion out there today.
East calm great swimming.
Traffic is light to beaches out west, anyone heading north of Orewa there is slight delays into Warkworth.
Weather is sunny, you will need sunscreen.
Lots of fish rising to the surface out from Omaha
Lots of boats on the water.

West. Southerly wind a few surfers out average conditions for surfing. Nice weather for the beach.
East. Perfect weather for the beach this afternoon.
Light traffic
Wind. Southerly strengthening, a little cloud.

Moderate surf on the west coast, starting to have good shape due to offshore winds.
East coast choppy and onshore
Light traffic, but traffic flows heavier on main commuter routes, as more people return to work
North east winds 10-15 knots
Birds working offshore orewa
Offshore breezes on the west coast making it ideal for swimming
East coast light onshore breezes, but still very pleasant. Water clear and clean on east coast beaches
Long bay looking ideal
Light boating activity, however busy around the Takapuna boat ramp with lots of small craft launching and a laser competition just offshore

A search was to resume this morning for a fisherman missing off the rocks at West Auckland's Piha Beach.  The 35 year old man was swept off the rocks at well known Dawsons Ledge which lies at the southern end at West Auckland's Piha Beach yesterday afternoon.

Surf Lifesaving New Zealand said the alarm was raised about 5.40 pm with surf lifeguards who were on patrol at South Piha where the majority of beach-goers swim.

Surf lifeguards from both Piha and United North Piha patrols and a support service jet ski unit from Bethells Beach searched for the man without success.  The search also involved a Coastguard Air Patrol and the Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter.  The search was to resume at 7 am today.

A man died while trying to save children caught in a dangerous current at Glenbrook Beach, south of Auckland, yesterday afternoon.

The man was pulled ashore by locals but couldn't be revived.

It was the second attempted rescue to end in drowning this week, after Jackie Wiki, 55, died at Ninety Mile beach on Tuesday while trying to save his two grandchildren.

A Westpac Rescue Helicopter crew member said the man was being given CPR when they arrived just before 5pm yesterday.

Beach resident Jim Coe said the man appeared to be part of a large family group enjoying a day at the beach.

They had been seen swimming in clothes off the end of the boat ramp, he said.  "With the tide going out there's a fairly large tidal flow going through there," he said.  "They would have been swimming there and got caught in the current and couldn't get back."

A notoriously dangerous stretch of Northland Beach has claimed the life of an Auckland man trying to pull his grandchildren from a rip.

Jackie Maynard Wiki, 55, was fishing at the Bluff - about 60km north of Ahipara on Ninety Mile Beach - when he saw his grandson and granddaughter in trouble while swimming yesterday afternoon.

Mr Wiki stayed underwater, holding his grandson clear, until another rescuer could take him to shore, a witness told police.  Another beachgoer took the granddaughter to safety.

It is understood Mr Wiki died at the scene after ambulance officers failed to revive him.

Those who know the area last night spoke of the dangers of the Bluff.  Mr Wiki's neighbour and close friend, Noddy Pako, who grew up near the beach, said the spot where his friend died was a well-known "no go zone".  "There's one rule on that rock and it's about kids.  No kids are allowed to go there because if you get caught in a rip that's it," he said.  "Where he went off is the most dangerous place.  You have to be a hard swimmer to get out of that and he got out of it - saved those kids - but he died as a result."

Cheryl Harrison, of Harrison Cape Runner Tours, said her family fished all over the North Island but avoided that spot.  She said people got into trouble "fairly regularly".  "You have to be so careful, but it doesn't matter how careful you are, Mother Nature can throw up a wave."

Mr Pako described his friend's death as a shock, but said Mr Wiki's actions were heroic.  "They said he was a hero, a real hero ... saving his mokos.  He put his body on the line for those kids."

A cousin of Mr Wiki said the grandchildren were his "backbone".

Inspector Lou Alofa said the children were OK "but the issue before them now was emotional trauma over the loss of the 55 year old".

Meanwhile, two other people were killed in water accidents around the North Island yesterday.  A 38 year old woman died after being swept away while riding a horse across the Ruamahanga River, about 5km north of Masterton, about 2 pm.  Her riding companion tried to save the woman after her horse fell but she was swept away.  She and another friend searched and found the woman downstream.

Emergency services and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter attended but were unable to save her.

About the same time, a 52 year old Palmerston North man collapsed and died suddenly after windsurfing on Lake Taupo.  A St John spokesman said a member of the public gave the man CPR before the ambulance arrived.

The incident happened near the Sails Motor Lodge on Lake Terrace.  Owner Chris Younger said he could see ambulance officers trying to resuscitate the man, whose body was lying on the waterline.

A 14 year old boy received minor cuts and bruises after he fell 30m on to rocks at the southern end of Pauanui Beach around 2.30 pm on Saturday.  He was climbing with friends when he slipped, bouncing down a series of ledges before free-falling the last seven metres.  He was taken by Westpac Rescue Helicopter to Starship Hospital in Auckland.

EAST COAST BEACHES FLAT WITH NO SURF
Still a large untidy sea running on the West Coast on a WSW direction. Great numbers of people swimming between the flags. Unfortunately there are still a lot of risk takers. There were a number of people risking themselves on "Flat Rock" at the southern end of Muriwai Beach. Whitewater was washing around them as they stood.
No sight of any traffic snarl ups.
The odd large ray in the shallows
Light northerly sea breezes
A few boats fishing over the Manukau bar. Lots of holiday boatson the East coast.

East coast beaches flat with no surf
West coast beaches large surf with the swells close together, large tides. Not good conditions for people who do not know what they are doing!!
No sight of any traffic snarl ups.
Southerly 15kts
Good numbers of swimmers on the East Coast - some nice sheltered spots
A few braving blustery winds. Large numbers of small yachts near "A" bouy in the Rangitoto channel

EAST COAST BEACHES FLAT WITH NO SURF
WEST COAST BEACHES 3 TO 5 FOOT SURF WITH AN ONSHORE BREEZE BUT STILL A WAVE TO BE HAD.
NORTH WEST WIND OF 10KNTS
WEST COAST BEACHES HAVE PLENTY OF SWIMMERS AND A FEW DESPERATE SURFERS
EAST COAST OFFERING SOME NICE SHELTERED BAYS AND BEACHES FOR SWIMMING

Patrol done in conjunction with job to Waiheke. Beach Patrol Manukau Heads To Muriwai
Untidy swell into the West Coast but large numbers of beach goers.
Nice sheltered conditions on the East Coast. Large numbers of boats fishing on the Gulf
Great day, please slip slop slap.

Westerly winds of some 30-40km/hr winds. No sweel on the East Coast.
Lovely fine day scattered cloud and temperatures in the mid 20's
Nice sheltered conditions on the East Coast
Large amounts of boats out and about. Large numbers moored vessels enjoying the holiday season.

W. Coast , Westerly winds and surf, not good swimming conditions - E. Coast flat ,few people on beaches
Traffic: Sh16 to Wellsford minimal traffic, Sh 1 Orewa to Warkworth flowing well
Weather: Westerly winds, 18 deg , Scattered clouds
Minimal activity at all major beaches today

W coast: Strong Westerly winds. Surf 1-2m. Patrols finish at 17:00 hours so be careful after this time. Few people on beaches 
E coast: light afternoon sea breezes, no surf, water glassy, very few people at beaches 
NW motorway light traffic with no delays 
N motorway Heavy traffic from Warkworrth to windy ridge north bound and south bound OK
Weather - i.e. warm sunny with scattered cloud
Wind direction Strong Westerly
Temperature mid 20's
Cloud scattered
Ideal swimming conditions at all east coast beaches. North Piha, has a large number of dangerous inshore holes and rips
Ideal rock fishing conditions on both coasts

The Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter is expected to break its annual record for emergency responses in the Hauraki Coromandel region in the next few weeks.  Last year's total of 79 emergency responses was the most in the organisation's history but, with the total already sitting at 68, 2009 is expected to top that number.

"We can say this with some confidence because the peak season is yet to descend upon us and 52 percent of ratepayers who reside outside of the Thames Coromandel region are about to head in your direction," says John Hooper, marketing and fundraising general manager for the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust.

"This will unfortunately result in any number of serious motor vehicle accidents, boating and recreational incidents and medical emergencies."

Mr Hooper says the helicopter's vital work is assisted by funding from a number of organisations and individuals in the Hauraki Coromandel region.  Two of them are Gary and Anne Fowler, who put on the Concert in the Orchard at Hikuai annually to raise funds for the Auckland and Waikato rescue helicopters.

"Gary and Anne are prime examples of the generosity of the region," Mr Hooper says.  This year's concert is on Saturday 23 January.

Most kids walk, bike or get a lift to school with their parents.  But earlier this month five Wymondley Road School students arrived at school in style - onboard a helicopter.

The school took part in the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Chopper Challenge where children completed six fitness challenges and asked their friends and families to sponsor them.

In just six weeks the students raised $7,000 for the rescue helicopter.  The top fundraiser from each class won a scenic ride around Auckland - five students flew into the school from Mechanics Bay and another five made the trip back.

"The challenge was not just about being healthy - it was about the school's involvement in the community and about every kid giving back," says teacher Daniel Tupua-Siliva.  He says the school's 200 students put in a "phenomenal" effort to raise that amount of money.

Eight year old Nazanin Tua'a was the school's top fundraiser, donating $650.  Nazanin says she raised the money by hassling her family, friends and her parent's work colleagues to sponsor her.

The helicopter ride was "scary because I was right at the front next to the pilot", Nazanin says.  "It had a glass bottom and I kept looking at the ground."

Customers and friends of Harcourts Waiheke raised $4,500 for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter at a fundraising auction at the conclusion of the recent Harcourts golf tournament.

Auckland Rescue Helicopter trustee, Michelle Boag, says the Trust is very grateful for the support and that it is fantastic to have businesses and individuals on Waiheke doing such a great job to support the Trust.

"With 40% of the helicopter's missions going to Waiheke, it is wonderful to see the high level of community support that the helicopter receives," says Ms Boag.

"It shows that Waiheke really appreciates the fact that this important emergency service is heavily dependent on community fundraising.  Thanks to the hundreds of Waihekeans who supported the helicopter in 2009 and we look forward to your continued support in 2010 - and a special thanks to Harcourts for this great initiative."

West Coast: 2m swell SW. East coast nil
Traffic heading north was bottlenecked to within 10 km of Warkworth. Traffic was flowing freely to the north.,
Wind direction NW 15 kts
Temperature 25Deg
Cloud 4/8ths at 300ft. (Scattered cloud)
West coast fishing looks great with large numbers of rock fishermen from Manukau heads to Muriwai. Good numbers of beach goers on both coasts. Large numbers of boats fishing in the Motuihe Channel

W. coast: light variable winds with afternoon sea breezes. surf 2-3 foot incoming tide all afternoon with ideal swimming conditions. Patrols finish at 17:00 hours so be careful after this time. 
N. piha has a large number of dangerous inshore holes and rips
E. coast: high tide 1500 hours light afternoon sea breezes, no surf, fantastic swimming conditions for all ages but especialy those with young children 
NW. motorway light traffic with no delays 
N. motorway light traffic, slows before Warkworth with a small delay due to the traffic lights
Wind direction variable with afternoon onshore sea breezes
Temperature mid 20's
Cloud scattered
Sting ray off shore long bay
Light boat numbers with perfect sea conditions.
N.B don't forget safe boating practices and always wear a life jacket, especialy when making a bar crossing
Ideal rock fishing conditions on both coasts

Piha – 5 to 6 ft waves on the West Coast.
No significant swell close to the shore on the East Coast.
All major roads to and from the beaches are fine.
Overcast in places, but otherwise a great afternoon, after a bad start to the day.
Wind direction – 30 km/hr SW west
Temperature – Approx 21 degrees.
Cloud – Scattered at about 4000 ft
Large individual shark about 80 metres from Orewa beach and a group of 3
smaller sharks about 400 metres north of the surf club (4 – 6 ft in length).
Quite breezy on the West Coast, great day on the East with hundreds of people on
the East Coast enjoying the weather.
Not many boats out due to the fresh winds.

3 – 4 ft with on-shore breeze on West Coast beaches, with a handful of swimmers.
East Coast – flat and a few swimmers.
No traffic hold-ups seen anywhere.
Cloud, with some rain. Steady on the West Coast.
Wind direction – southwest at 15 knots Temp 20C
Kayakers in the Puhoi river. One paraglider at Maori Bay.
A few boats fishing and a few sailing.

East coast flat/calm
West coast good surf slight onshore wind
No traffic events - all flowing well
A little cloud but mostly fine, South-westertly, 25 deg C
Plenty of boaties enjoying the conditions

East coast flat & calm.
West coast - unable to report due to low visibility & rain
No traffic events - all flowing smoothly
Overcast, Westerly, 22 deg C. Humid

You may be aware of an article that appeared in the Herald on Sunday on 6 December 2009 which made various statements and claims in respect of the cost of fundraising relative to the funds raised by various rescue helicopter trusts, including the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust.

This article did not accurately portray the information provided by the Trust to the reporter. The Trust has no wish to engage in a media debate with the Herald on Sunday, however we do believe that the key stakeholders in the Trust should be informed of the facts.

Our fundraising expenses relative to total funds generated by fundraising and sponsorship activity for recent years is as follows:

2008 – 42%
2009 – 32%
YTD 2010 – 27%

These factual percentages differ considerably than those reported by the Herald on Sunday. Misinformation of this nature can be extremely damaging to charities who heavily rely on the goodwill of sponsors, supporters and the general public and it is for this reason that the Trust takes the opportunity to inform you of the actual position.

Should you require any further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact me.

The Trust wishes you all a happy and safe festive season.

Kind regards,



Bob Parkinson
CEO

West Coast – minimal surf some noticeable rips at North Piha
East Coast – calm ideal swimming
Most roads flowing well and clear.
Wind direction 0- 5 kts variable
Temperature 22
Cloud scattered
Major surf carnival at Muriwai, Surf club activity at Red beach, Browns bay big Xmas day with flying display/ power boats etc.

Throughout the 2009/2010 summer season we'll be conducting weekend patrols of the beaches and roads within our region. During these patrols, the helicoipter crew will be noting conditions and events of interest and upon their return to base, compiling a brief report which will be posted here. Whilst we will make every effort to get the reports up on this web site as promptly as possible,  this will obviously depend upon the situation on the day and whether, for example, we are responding to an emergency immediately following the patrol. We expect to be able to post the first report on Sunday December 6.
ARHT thanks SKYCITY, on behalf of all in our community, for providing funding for this extra service.

Boaties who get into strife on Auckland waters this summer can thank Alinghi skipper Brad Butterworth for enabling rescue efforts.

The Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust has tallied the $35,000 raised for the chopper as part of last weekend's Euroyacht fundraising regatta on the Waitemata Harbour.

Butterworth, a former Team NZ skipper who lives in the Middle East, raced his 15m yacht Rainbow from the Ponsonby Cruising Club to Rangitoto Island and back towards the Floating Pavilion at Auckland's Viaduct against at least 20 other vessels.

Four keen yachties had won spots to race alongside the yachtsman and his crew on Trade Me.

The line honours went to Wired, which was crewed by Fletcher Construction.  The overall and handicap honours went to the crew aboard First by Far and second division handicap and line honours went to Laissez Faire.

Rainbow was "middle of the pack" said Westpac Rescue Helicopter spokesman John Hooper, which was impressive for the 111 year old boat.

Butterworth auctioned off items of Alinghi apparel with t-shirts going for up to $500.

Mr Hooper said the money raised would go towards the next 10 water related rescues.

"With summer upon us these types of missions have already begun.  We've seen three boat rescues over the last three weeks, one of which involved a winch job 20km off Raglan."

Mr Hooper said he was surprised at how down to earth Butterworth was.  "Brad was a very humble guy, really unassuming.  I'm sitting there up with Hamish Ross, one of the solicitors for Alinghi, and these guys are carting off chilly bins and packed lunches, they're prepared to walk 1km away to their vessel."

Butterworth wanted to support the service because he was building a home on Waiheke Island and 40 percent of their missions went there.  He issued a rare statement to the Herald before the race saying: "Yachties never know when we might need them, so it is great that we can give something back."

Whangaparaoa Primary School is a man down.

Appropriately the mannequin's moniker is Steele, named after one of the teachers at the school who has been a driving force in the children's efforts to raise money for the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust.

He was taken from the school office on the evening of November 9.

"Some children saw a few youths looking into the office, and later saw them take Steele to the local park and dismember him", says Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust crew chief, Herby Barnes.

"The school has recovered some parts but not all of him.  These students have raised a lot of money individually.  The kids are devastated that someone would do that," principal Steve Collins says.

Steele is part of a programme the Trust runs in schools throughout Auckland.

The Trust sends staff to schools to run a fitness programme based on the training programme that the rescue helicopter team train with.  Students collect sponsors and complete fitness tests on a specific day. 

"They get certificates and the top eight children who get the most sponsorship get a ride to or from school in the helicopter," says Mr Barnes.  Two teachers also get to go for a ride.  "Westpac have come on board to help with prizes and encourage the kids," he says.

The mannequin is a mascot that reminds students of the programme and is a motivation.  "We want to stress that although the mannequin had some of our safety PPE gear on it, including a helmet, body harness and lifejacket, all this gear was out of test date and decommissioned for operational purposes, so no one should even think about using the equipment as it will fail miserably."

Anyone with information can contact the school on 424 9029 or Whangaparaoa Police on 424 0413.

The lifeguards at Tairua Surf Lifesaving Club will be adding a few extra hands to their team in January when 45 Americans arrive.

The Tairua Surf Lifesaving Club has been involved in a lifeguard exchange with Huntingdon Beach in California since 2002 and in January, 45 of these guards will be visiting Tairua as part of the exchange.  Tairua club captain Sean Riddler says the lifeguards will be staying with the families of Tairua lifeguards and participating in training and patrol activities, including a joint training session with the Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter, night search and rescue scenarios and IRB training.  The visitors will also be treated to lessons on how New Zealand lifeguards patrol the beaches and carry out rescues.

Sean says this will be the second team of Californian lifeguards to visit Tairua "in what is now a strong and established exchange programme".  He says the programme is designed to develop and share knowledge on the best ways to prevent drowning.  The Californian lifeguards will arrive in early January.

The recent sale of Macandrew Hall in Titirangi Road has allowed the Titirangi Women's Institute to help fund seven local charitable causes.

The institute has distributed $115,000 of the proceeds from the same of the hall, its home since 1935, to seven local charitable causes.  St John Ambulance Service and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter have each received $30,000, the West Auckland Hospice $20,000, Titirangi Volunteer Fire Brigade $10,000, the foundations for the Blind and the Deaf $10,000 each, and the Plunket Society $5,000.

TWI Secretary Betty Carter has been a member for 38 years.  She says they were reluctant to sell their hall, which was frequently let out for community and private functions, but the upkeep had become too demanding and they decided it would be more efficient to meet in members' homes.

"We shall be distributing more funds in the future, and will also be setting up a performing arts scholarship for a local resident in honour of the founders of the hall, Jennie and Arthur Macandrew, who were both very musical and always intended the hall to be used for performances."

The new owner of the hall intends converting it into a private home.  If you are interested in joining Titirangi Women's Institute, call Betty at 817 5041.

Auckland's beaches will be even safer this summer with the rescue helicopter making more flights.

Together with SkyCity, the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust has launched its new SkyCity Beach Patrol programme.

The beach patrol, which started last week and will run until Easter, will see the chopper on a regular return run from the base in Mechanics Bay, up the east coast to Omaha Beach and back down the west coast.

The patrol will run every weekend, upping its services to daily runs throughout December and January.

Senior Crewman Greg Brownson says at the moment the standard callout arrangement means the helicopters respond to emergency callouts.  The new patrols will enable the team to prevent situations before they happen.  "Now we can be airborne when we get a call," he says.  "What we'd like to be able to do is see a potential problem and form a prevention."

He says from the air, the rescue crews can spot a whole raft of potential hazards such as rips forming, fisherman on rocks, sharks and boats in distress.

"When you're up 1000 feet it's amazing what you can see," says Mr Brownson.

Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust chairman Murray Bolton says the new proactive service will help keep Aucklander's safe.

"The beach is one of the most popular places for Aucklanders during the summer months," he says.  "Having the helicopter in the air monitoring the region's beaches will make us much more effective and able to respond quicker to any safety issues."

On board the beach patrol chopper will be an advanced paramedic, a pilot, a crewman and a surf lifeguard.

Beach patrol information will also be broadcast on the Radio Network's Auckland frequencies as part of the hourly news bulletins.

SkyCity CEO Nigel Morrison says he's delighted to be involved in the new venture.  "I'm certainly very mindful of how much New Zealanders love beaches and the sea and the surf," he says.  "Our families go to the beach, our kids go to the beach, now it'll be safer up and down the east and west coasts."

Deaths of women near Taupo and two southern road users mar holiday break

A man and a toddler were critically injured after a car was forced into the path of a motorbike yesterday near Huntly.

The 3 year old was due to be transferred from Waikato Hospital's intensive care unit to the Starship hospital in Auckland last night and the 52 year old male motorcyclist was in a serious condition and to undergo surgery.

Initial analysis by the Waikato police serious crash unit indicated the southbound car had tried to turn across State Highway 1 about 3 pm and was shunted in the rear, forcing it into the path of a motorcycle. 

Emergency Services closed the highway to analyse and clear the scene and did not reopen it until just before 6pm.

Yesterday, three people were injured - one critically - when their car spun out into the path of a truck in a high-speed crash near Paeroa.

Auckland's Westpac rescue helicopter, the Westpac Waikato air ambulance and a road ambulance were called to the scene to take to of the car's occupants to Waikato Hospital.  The truck driver was uninjured.

Speaking to the Herald from the scene, Station Officer Murray Rasmussen of Ngatea Volunteer Fire Brigade said the car, a Hyundai, was traveling North on State Highway 2 at Kerepehi when it spun out on a slight right-hand bend about 9.30 am.  "The car spun out into the path of the oncoming truck and the truck went up the back end of the car with huge impact," Mr Rasmussen said.  "It's pretty well mangled ... if you could see this wreck ... you'd wonder how anyone could walk away from it or even survive it.  There's an imprint on the back of the truck's number plate you can clearly see.  You can just see the two back wheels poking out and there's nothing around it."

Mr Rasmussen said the younger woman from the back seat had been the worst injured because she had been badly trapped.  "We took a bit of time to get her out because of the way she was twisted in the back.  Her feet were twisted under the seat ... we just had to cut it to pieces to get her out."

A man in his 30's was taken to Waikato Hospital with head injuries.

Boaties can try their skills against Brad Butterworth in helicopter charity race

Boaties will have their chance to beat one of the best in the business in an Auckland fundraising regatta that will see Alinghi skipper Brad Butterworth return to the city for charity next month.

The former Team NZ skipper, who now lives in the Middle East, will race his 15m classic yacht Rainbow (pictured) against anyone brave enough to battle him on Friday, 13 November, to raise funds for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.

Those not game enough to put their skipper skills to the test can still get in on the action, with spots available to race alongside the world-class yachtsman and his Chopper Cup crew up for grabs on the Trade Me auction website.  Michelle Boag, Trustee for the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust, said Butterworth wanted to show his support for the service because he was building a home on Waiheke Island and 40% of the helicopter's missions went there.

Butterworth issued a rare statement to the Weekend Herald which revealed another reason for his support.

"I am looking forward to sailing Rainbow again on the Waitemata Harbour ... it's a great way for a bunch of keen yachties to have some fun while raising much needed funds for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.

"Yachties never know when we might need them, so it is great that we can give something back."

Hamish Ross, one of Rainbow's co-owners and Alinghi legal counsel, said Butterworth was coming home for a "very busy long weekend" and was also involved in a regatta in Wellington and other charity events.

Butterworth was delighted at the rare opportunity to race Rainbow but the team remained uncertain how they would go in the Chopper Cup.  "It all depends on the day," Mr Ross said.  "In the right conditions we'll do well and on the wrong day and the wrong conditions, we won't."

He said the boat was beautiful to sail on.  "She can be a little bit damp at times but you're closer to the action."

Eighteen boats have already entered the race but anyone with a vessel who wants to join the regatta can do so at a cost of $200 per person.

The racing will be followed up with a charity auction.

Lady Pippa Blake will be the special guest at a garden party to raise funds for three Waiheke charities.  The h3 Garden Party is being described as the "social event of the summer" by h3 chairman Don Robertson who, with his wife Maureen, is hosting the event at their cliff top property at 64 Korora Road, Oneroa.

h3 is the fundraising consortium formed by the island's three "H" charities, Waiheke Homecare Hospice, Westpac Rescue Helicopter and the Hauraki Gulf Conservation Trust.

Labour weekend will be the first opportunity for islanders to purchase tickets for the event which is being held from 3 pm to 6 pm on Saturday, 9 January, and Mr Robertson says he expects strong demand for tickets.

"Past garden parties hosted by the Hospice and the Rescue Helicopter Trust have enjoyed excellent support from Waiheke's resident and holiday population and, with our numbers restricted to 300 and significant interest already shown, we confidently predict the h3 event will be a sell-out," he says.

Not only will Lady Pippa Blake be a special guest but she will be donating one of her own paintings for the charity auction which also includes a trip to a luxury villa in France, a helicopter visit to Great Mercury Island and a trip for four to Queenstown, including golf and champagne cocktails at Eichardt's boutique hotel.

Other entertainment will be provided by Will Martin and his band which includes Waiheke based musicians.

Tickets to h3 can be booked by contacting Kate Hastings on 372 8224 or emailing katehastings@clear.net.nz or by phoning Lynda Benveniste on 372 9977 or emailing lyndab@pl.net.  They will be issued on a first paid first serve basis and each ticket holder goes into a draw for an hp 5101 Mini Notebook valued at $900.

"At $110 each with all food and refreshments provided for the afternoon event, we expect to sell out of tickets within the next six to eight weeks, so I urge all those who are interested to get in touch with Kate or Lynda as soon as possible," says Mr Robertson.

[In the photo - Dan Robertson, Michelle Boag, Bill Carrig]

A major search and rescue operation activated all the emergency services on Friday afternoon.

Coastguard, Westpac Rescue Helicopter, and police were involved in an extensive search for the occupants of an upturned boat reported partially submerged off Oneroa Bay.

Four Coastguard vessels, the helicopter and the police launch Deodar searched the area before another member of the public informed them the occupants were safe having swum to shore after their boat had capsized earlier in the day.

Coastguard Northern Region spokesperson Nathan Snell says Coastguard would like to remind the public to inform them, or police, about any boating accidents so "assistance can be provided where necessary and search and rescue operations are not needlessly undertaken".

Two cold and disoriented swimmers dragged themselves to safety aboard a moored yacht last night, after a late evening dip at a city beach went wrong. 

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter and the police boat Deodar 3 were called out to look for the pair.  The incident started when three young men got into trouble swimming off Pt Chevalier beach.  One of them was able to raise the alarm at about 8.10 pm.  At about the same time, the police began receiving emergency calls from people who had seen two men in distress in the water near Pt Chevalier.

A spokesman for the rescue helicopter service said rescuers were using night goggles to sweep the area from the air when they learned the swimmers had been last seen near a moored yacht just along from the beach.  The helicopter rescuers spotted the pair huddled in the yacht, wet and cold, and arranged for a police boat to collect them.

Rescue spokesman Mark Connell said the men appeared "quite young" and he imagined they would be getting a "right talking to" about their evening swim. 

The water was fairly rough near where the men were found.

A police boat spokesman said it appeared the men had gone swimming too far from the shore and had become disoriented when it grew dark.

They were taken to the Coastguard's Auckland Marine Rescue Centre but were not believed to be seriously harmed.

A ride on the turret of a privately owned tank turned to disaster for a prominent Auckland family, when the mother landed in hospital.

Vicky Bethell and her 3 year old daughter, Jessie, were crushed by the tank's gun turret at her farm in Bethell's Beach on Auckland's west coast.  A week later, Bethell is still in hospital with four fractured ribs, two fractured vertebrae and other injuries.  Bethell, an artist, is expected to be discharged this week.

Bethell - from the family after whom Bethell's Beach is named - was among a group of people who were riding on the tank, owned by Charles "Tankboy" Knight.  The incident happened the day after a memorial service for Bethell's husband Ross, who died in October last year.  The tank was driven by Knight, who declined to comment yesterday.

Live-in nanny Kirdy Molan, who had been working for the family for less than a week, was behind the tank when the accident happened.  She said about 10 people were riding on it in a paddock near Bethell's house when the turret came loose.

It swung around, flinging off the six people on the cannon and slamming the hatch down on Bethell and her daughter.  Both were trapped but Bethell's stepson and friends quickly lifted the hatch.  "It's a good thing the guys were there" said Molan.

Bethell's nephew, Mitch Rickard, is a volunteer firefighter and training to be a paramedic.  Molan said it was fortunate he was there to help.

Safety staff from a nearby television crew arrived to help and ambulance, firefighters and police followed soon after.  The Westpac Rescue Helicopter was called to airlift Bethell to Auckland Hospital.  Richard said Jessie escaped with only bruising on her leg.  She is being looked after by Molan, Rickard, and Bethell's stepson John.

Knight stores the tank and an armoured truck at Te Henga farm, the Bethell's Beach property used as the base for his military equipment and entertainment company, Tankboy TV.  The business stages action entertainment shows.

Otaua School PTA held another mufti day last term and raised funds to go to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.  Pictured above, Jakob Mills, Year 7, of Otaua School, presenting a cheque for $100 to Bruce Kerr, a paramedic for the Westpac Rescue Service.  The school thanked all children and parents involved in the fundraising event.

A 6 year old Tauranga girl was lucky to escape more serious injury after crawling down some scrub, losing her balance and dropping on a tree root on a cliff at Bowentown, before eventually falling several metres onto rocks.

Emergency services were called to Seaforth Road at the end of Bowentown at 2.20 pm yesterday.  Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter paramedic, Bruce Kerr, said the girl, who suffered a broken left leg, cuts and bruises, was airlifted to Tauranga Hospital and was very lucky to escape with such relatively minor injuries.

"It could have been a lot worse for sure," he said.

Mr Kerr said the girl had crawled down a piece of scrub and clung onto a tree root after falling, but became tired and had to let go.  She fell onto rocks but it was unclear why she was in the area.  "She was quite calm about her near miss, and her Aunty was with her when