Paraglider crash on Mauao: Quick response of crews praised

Response crews to a “dramatic” paraglider crash on Mauao are being praised for their quick reactions and co-ordinated teamwork.

Emergency services responded to the scene about 4.15pm on Sunday after reports that the paraglider had crashed into a bush. The paraglider was airlifted by the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter to hospital with serious injuries.

Jonathan Ewing and his partner Valerie witnessed the rescue.

“It was quite dramatic watching the rescue unfold and all praise to the surf rescue team who had a ute up there along with fire and St John services,” Ewing said.

The couple were climbing Mauao on Sunday when they heard “a bit of commotion with sirens”.

“We regularly go up and spend a lot of time there. We go up the goat track on the north-west side. We were halfway up on Sunday when we heard the sirens.

“It happened somewhere on the northwest side amongst dense shrubbery and rocks.”

The Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter and rescue services on the summit of Mauao after a paraglider crashed on Sunday. Photo / Valerie Ewing

Ewing said the extraction of the paraglider “looked really complex”.

“They didn’t use a winch from the helicopter but used a stretcher and had to go through dense shrub to try and get him.”

He said he was very impressed with how organised the rescue response was.

“They were so well co-ordinated.”

He said there were three others with the injured paraglider.

“It must have been fairly intense for them. You feel for the man who was doing very poorly.

“The paramedics were very attentive and worked on him for nearly an hour before loading him into the helicopter.

“I asked the paramedic: ‘are you landing down the bottom [of Mauao]?’ and they said, ‘no we’re taking him straight to Waikato Hospital’,” said Ewing.

The Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service ute on the summit of Mauao after a paraglider crashed on Sunday. Photo / Valerie Ewing

Surf Life Saving NZ eastern region manager Chaz Gibbons-Campbell said there was “an all-round agency response” to a paragliding crash at Mount Maunganui at the weekend.

“The paraglider had gone into the side of Mauao. We [lifeguards] were activated by St John Ambulance,” Gibbons-Campbell said.

He said a special Mauao Response Team - MRT- swung into action when there was an emergency on Mauao.

“The MRT helps with the logistics of running people up and down the mountain.”

Gibbons-Campbell said their Mount Maunganui lifeguards participated in MRT group training so they could respond quickly to any incident on Mauao.

A rescue marker system allowed the lifeguards and other SAR agencies to respond faster and more efficiently to incidents.

With 75 rescue markers on Mauao, clearly located on wooden posts, gates and seats, the markers are all within 50m of each other and are hard to miss.

The Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter on the summit of Mauao after a paraglider crashed on Sunday. Photo / Valerie Ewing

Gibbons-Campbell said the MRT was an informal collective of agencies – LandSAR, Fenz, DoC, police, Hato Hone St John, Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service and the Ngā Poutiriao ō Mauao (the Mauao Joint Administration Board).

“In the Mauao Response Team are members from all agencies that live locally in the area including LandSAR. The lifeguards help with vehicle access up Mauao.”

He said the paraglider was on steep terrain and was reported to have severe injuries.

“Our lifeguards helped with mainly transport and first aid,” he said.

“The rescue helicopter co-ordinated the response to get them off Mauao. They were airlifted off and flown to hospital.”

Rescue markers with numbers on Mauao make it possible to guide emergency services to a location. Photo / Tauranga City Council

“The Mauao markers are really important. If you come across someone who has injured themselves, you can quickly let emergency services know where they are,” Gibbons-Campbell said.

Ewing said the experience had increased his understanding of how rescue services could seamlessly co-ordinate their emergency response and it made him want to become a supporter.

“It all worked so well. They all worked in unison. It was obvious that the system works. It was a wonderful thing to watch the teamwork,” he said.

“It’s really reassuring and makes you want to donate to the rescue helicopter as its pretty remarkable knowing that it’s available.”

Rescue markers with numbers on Mauao make it possible to guide emergency services to a location. Image / Tauranga City Council