Two separate patients were rescued by the Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter from ships off the Southland coast in the last few days – one an injured crew member off a ship in the Freshwater Basin area of Fiordland early this morning. (2 Jan).

A spokesperson for Maritime NZ’s Rescue Coordination Centre says they received notification overnight of an injured crew member on board the vessel on its way to New Zealand.

“RCCNZ enabled a medical evacuation by facilitating coordination between the vessel, HeliOtago, Hato Hone St John, the ship’s agent, Milford Sound harbourmaster and pilot,” she says.

The patient was transferred to Dunedin Hospital early this morning for further medical care.

HeliOtago managing director Graeme Gale says they were also called just after 3am on New Year’s Eve morning to retrieve a medical patient off a cruise ship off the Southland coast.

The patient was flown to a medical facility for care, he says.

Sue Fea is a senior journalist with more than 40-years experience covering police, social and general news in the southern regions.