Selfless Kiwis recognised at awards

Steven Joyce. Photo / Brett Phibbs

New Zealanders who risked their lives to save others have been recognised at the New Zealand Search and Rescue (NZSAR) Council Awards.

Transport Minister Steven Joyce presented the awards at Parliament tonight.

Captain Greg Lyall and the crew of the fishing vessel Amaltal Atlantis were awarded the NZSAR gold award, for the most significant contribution to search and rescue last year.

Cpt Lyall and his crew rescued 45 survivors and three bodies from the sunken trawler, Oyang 70, near the Bounty Islands in the Southern Ocean in August.

The crew also provided clothing, food, and support to the survivors during the rescue and a voyage to Lyttelton.

The council said it recognised the initiative and sound decision-making of Cpt Lyall, the professionalism of the Amaltal Atlantis crew, the crew's recovery and care of the survivors, and also their respectful treatment of those who died.

Four other groups received the NZSAR certificate of achievement, which celebrates important contributions to search and rescue during 2010 or over a longer period.

Coastguard Kaikoura members were awarded for the rescue of injured crew travelling on the yacht Marguerite in June.

The 9m yacht Marguerite was 16.5 nautical miles southeast of Kaikoura when it is believed to have been struck by a whale which disabled the steering and knocked out its electronics.

The crew activated their emergency beacon, as well as calling for help on a cell phone and UHF radio.

A Coastguard vessel reached the boat within two hours and battled fierce weather, including 5m waves and 30-40 knot winds, to rescue those aboard.

The yacht skipper was taken to hospital with a suspected broken wrist and a woman was treated for a fish hook in her right buttock.

Those involved in the rescue were Alasdair Lean, Daryl McMillan, Dave Cox, Geoff Pollard, Ian Blackler, Murray Paul and Richard Craig.

Four people involved in a rescue after a Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Iroquois crashed near Pukerua Bay north of Wellington on Anzac Day were also recognised. They were Harry Stevenson, Dave Greenberg, both of Life Flight Trust, Peter Collins of the Wellington Free Ambulance, and RNZAF warrant officer Darren Smith.

Three RNZAF Iroquois helicopters were flying in formation to Wellington to fly over an Anzac Day parade, but one lost contact when they struck bad weather conditions early in the morning.

Shortly after dawn an Iroquois detected an emergency locator signal and within 15 minutes a Life Flight Trust helicopter, Capital 01, joined the search.

The Iroquois attempted to find an alternative route to the beacon, Capital 01 persevered from the coastal side to find a way through the cloud and up the steep and rugged terrain and Mr Smith ran 2km up a ravine to try to find the Iroquois from the ground.

Capital 01 located the wreckage and used hand signals to direct Mr Smith to the crash site, where he found surviving crewman Sergeant Stevin Creeggan.

Mr Collins was winched down to the crash site and arranged for Mr Creeggan to be winched up in a harness.

Flying Officer Daniel Stephen Gregory, Corporal Benjamin Andrew Carson and Flight Lieutenant Hayden Peter Madsen were killed in the crash.

The Helicopter Line company, a tourism operator, also received the award for providing search and rescue services at Mt Cook National Park since 1980.

Larry Charles was awarded for over 30 years service to Land Search and Rescue, particularly for his work with search dogs.

- NZPA