Helicopter pilot discharged from hospital

The 'lucky' 43-year-old pilot of the helicopter that crashed into the sea near Whangarei yesterday has been discharged from hospital. File photo / Sarah Ivey

The "lucky" 43-year-old pilot of the helicopter that crashed into the sea near Whangarei yesterday has been discharged from hospital.

The man was winched out of the water by a rescue helicopter two hours after witnesses heard the helicopter flying low over Bream Bay about 30km south of the Whangarei Heads just after midday.

One witness scrawled a line in the sand to help aerial searchers find the downed aircraft and the pilot in the water was spotted by an RNZAF Orion.

St John advanced paramedic Sam Johanson, attached to a winch, swam five to 10 metres to the pilot, who he said was "in surprisingly good condition".

"He was very calm and composed. It was very difficult to have a discussion because the helicopter was above us, but we were able to communicate enough to realise that he had a sore back and he was very cold.

"When we got into the helicopter, he was able to communicate with us very well. He was alert."

He attached a special hypothermic strop to the man, which helped keep him horizontal during the lift to avoid complications.

The man was flown to Whangarei Hospital but discharged last night.

Mr Johanson said that despite clear water, which meant he could see the ocean floor, he could not see the downed helicopter.

Rescue helicopter pilot Dean Voelkerling told NZPA the Orion made "the whole job a hell of a lot easier. They just popped out some smoke and he was probably 100 metres from that smoke. We just cruised in behind them and picked him up."

He said the Orion crew did a "fantastic job".

"He was very, very hard to see in the water."

"I think he is extremely lucky, purely and simply on the fact that someone on the shore saw something go splash and had very good information as to a bearing."

Whangarei man Grant Harper scrawled the line in the beach, which pointed rescuers to the helicopter crash after phoning 111 for help.

He told NZPA he was relieved when the Orion found the crash on the line he had drawn, then learnt from a police officer the pilot had survived.

Mr Harper and his wife Margaret had been waiting for the tide to go out so they could gather shellfish when they heard a strange noise followed by "one hell of a bang".

He called 111 and told the rescue service he would draw a line in the sand to point out the crash site.

"We just sat there watching the Orion going around and around, he was too far out. Then they got him on a better coordinate and he came in."

- NZPA