Nelson rescuers kept busy

A man who severed two fingers while splitting wood was just one of four incidents the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter attended yesterday.

A rescue helicopter spokesperson said the chopper was first called out about 2pm for a 51-year-old Blenheim man, who had caught his hand between a log and splitter plate while splitting wood logs with a friend.

The incident happened in Nydia Bay, Pelourus Sound.

The man had severed two fingers and was treated by the intensive care paramedic and flown to Wairau Hospital.

Nearly two hours later, the helicopter was sent to Paynes Road near Takaka for a 41-year-old woman who had fallen during a rock climb, the spokesperson said.

The Foxton woman had to be winched out due to the location and terrain of her fall. She was treated and flown to Nelson Hospital with back injuries.

Then at 5.45pm at personal locator beacon was activated near the Karamea River in the Kahurangi National Park.

The spokesperson said the beacon was tracked by the helicopter's onboard tracking unit and after a short search a woman was found by the side of the river. The 56-year-old from Cambridge had been on an extensive tramp of the area since mid December and was well equipped and prepared for the tramp, however after injuring her leg and being unable to continue activated her locator beacon.

She was flown to the helicopter's Nelson Base where she then went for further treatment.

And at 8pm the helicopter was sent to Okiwi Bay for a 20-year-old Christchurch man who had been diving and surfaced with signs of the bends.

The man was then flown at a low altitude to Christchurch for assessment at Decompression Unit there, the spokesperson said.