The school run looks a little different for Hawke's Bay kids crossing the Mangaone River since Cyclone Gabrielle. Video / Laura Marinus
Whakatāne helicopter pilot Mark Law has become accustomed to flying into New Zealand disasters to lend a hand.
During the 2019 White Island volcano disaster, he was the first pilot to land on the island and rescue critically injured tourists after the eruption, bravely ignoring warnings it was too dangerous.
He also attended the Nelson floods last year and for the past two weeks has been helping Hawke’s Bay communities hit hard by Cyclone Gabrielle.
His company, Kāhu NZ Helicopters, boasts an ex-US military Black Hawk helicopter which has proved a big asset dropping large quantities of fuel, food and generators around the flood-ravaged region.
Law said this was the worst devastation he had witnessed since the White Island disaster but on a grander scale.
“White Island was just one little area... but Hawke’s Bay particularly around Napier and Hastings and around the backcountry in the rural area is absolute devastation.
“It is the kind of stuff you see on the news with mass flooding in places like Sri Lanka or India.”
Law said four crew and two helicopters from his company had been working in the region over the past fortnight.
He said they were becoming accustomed to responding to natural disasters which “just keep coming”.
“I think New Zealand, being the type of country and terrain and geography that it is, helicopters are probably the first asset or tool that can get stuff done.”
Mark Law was one of seven helicopter pilots and crew who landed on White Island after it erupted in 2019 to rescue survivors. Photo / Supplied
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins inspected the Black Hawk chopper on Wednesday during a visit to Hastings Aerodrome.
That helicopter was actually being kept in Hastings when the flood hit.
“We were happy to hover down next to the hangar and peer inside and see that she was okay,” Law said, of his arrival in Hastings the day after the floods.
“There was about half a foot [of water] in the hangar.”
The Black Hawk has been dropping heavy cargo including diggers, generators and large amounts of fuel and food to cut-off communities.
Foodstuffs, electricity companies, and even emergency services have been among those utilising the aircraft.
A still taken from a tourist boat when Whakaari White Island erupted in December 2019. Photo / Supplied
Dozens of other helicopters have also been operating in the region including to rescue people stranded in the floods, and to deliver essentials.
Law said he had noticed some similarities in terms of the response to the White Island disaster and the Hawke’s Bay floods.
“There is a real distinct change over between when things like this kick-off and all the locals and all the people that get up and go come to the front, then give it a couple of days and bureaucracy and Government get involved and it changes the look massively.”
He said, in his experience, that can stifle people trying to help.
Law headed back to Whakatāne on Thursday and will head to the United States before returning to Hawke’s Bay.
