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A holidaymaker who raced to help a badly injured woman after she plunged 30m down a cliff says she comforted the bleeding woman, letting her rest on her and reassuring her she would survive.
Auckland woman Janelle Muir said she is still reeling after coming to the aid of ayoung woman in her 20s who fell down Waiheke Island cliff face yesterday afternoon, after anchoring off Matiatia Bay.
Muir and her family had been having lunch on their 35ft launch when her sister-in-law heard someone screaming for help.
“We stopped the boat and started to the cliff and we spotted a girl there. We didn’t know what to do so we put the anchor down and I jumped in the kayak and started paddling to shore,” she said.
Rescuer Janelle Muir returned to the Matiatia Bay shore with the victim in the kayak and lay with her for an hour until police and emergency services arrived. Photo / Janelle Muir
“I initially screamed from the shore to the boat but I don’t know if they heard me.
Janelle Muir and her family had been having lunch on their 35ft launch when her sister-in-law heard someone screaming for help. Photo / Janelle Muir
“So I jumped back in the kayak, rowed my little heart out to the boat, and told everyone we’re going to need major help.
“We were close enough that I could kayak to the cave in five minutes and for me to get to her it took me two minutes.”
Family members on board the launch issued a mayday on their coastguard radio system.
She said Coastguard transferred the call to the water police, who were then able to fly into action.
Muir then returned to the shore in the kayak and lay with the victim for an hour until police and emergency services arrived.
“I pulled the kayak up onto the rocks, elevated her legs to stop the bleeding, and lay down for her to rest on me.
“She said to me, ‘I thought I was going to die’.
“I told her ‘you’re allowed to be scared, you’re allowed to cry, what happened is so traumatic. But don’t worry, you’re going to be okay, we’re here to help.’”
Muir said police initially came around to the cave for the rescue thinking they could reach the pair.
“It was closed off so they had to come back around and go through the rocks.”
However, because the tide was going out, the police attempt proved challenging.
Then the Westpac Rescue Helicopter attempted to hoist the victim onto the helicopter before abandoning the plan in favour of the police boat taking her ashore.
She was then airlifted to Auckland City Hospital from the beach.
“It was so thankful we had a kayak or we wouldn’t have been able to help,” Muir said.
Janelle Muir jumped into a kayak to save a young scientist who suffered horrendous cuts after plunging 30m down a cliff onto rocks on Waiheke Island. Photo / Janelle Muir
Muir said the woman, a young scientist, was on an internship on Waiheke Island by herself and exploring the area.
