EvanL
08-08-2005, 02:52 PM
COMOX, B.C. (CP) - A Canadian rescue helicopter braved high winds to pick up a badly burned crew member from a container ship off the West Coast.
The Cormorant helicopter from 442 Squadron based here flew out to the container ship Nedloyds Berentsz, 100 kilometres off Tofino on the west coast of Vancouver Island on Friday evening.
Hovering over the massive ship, the Cormorant's crew hoisted the injured man aboard and flew him to Comox, where he was transferred to hospital by ambulance.
The weather was clear and the ship was stable, said Sgt. Rob Dumonceau, the lead search-and-rescue technician on the mission, said Saturday.
Although the ship itself wasn't moving much, the helicopter pilot had to cope with winds between 35 and 40 knots, he said.
"When you are operating a helicopter around a ship of this type, you have to make very cautious manoeuvres," said Maj. Christian Lalande of 442 Squadron.
"You must consider that you are hoisting people down onto and up from a small area that juts out of a very large, moving object. Our greatest concern is safety."
The Cormorant helicopter from 442 Squadron based here flew out to the container ship Nedloyds Berentsz, 100 kilometres off Tofino on the west coast of Vancouver Island on Friday evening.
Hovering over the massive ship, the Cormorant's crew hoisted the injured man aboard and flew him to Comox, where he was transferred to hospital by ambulance.
The weather was clear and the ship was stable, said Sgt. Rob Dumonceau, the lead search-and-rescue technician on the mission, said Saturday.
Although the ship itself wasn't moving much, the helicopter pilot had to cope with winds between 35 and 40 knots, he said.
"When you are operating a helicopter around a ship of this type, you have to make very cautious manoeuvres," said Maj. Christian Lalande of 442 Squadron.
"You must consider that you are hoisting people down onto and up from a small area that juts out of a very large, moving object. Our greatest concern is safety."