A pilot dragged his injured passenger to safety after their helicopter crashed in crocodile-infested mudflats near Darwin last night, according to reports.
After getting him to shore, he then decided to bury his semi-conscious passenger in the sand up to his neck to protect him from hypothermia, said the Sydney Morning Herald.
Rescuers managed to retrieve the men last night despite the dark.
The passenger was in a critical condition after suffering chest and lung injuries but the pilot received only minor injuries and severe shock, the paper said.
They were taken to Royal Darwin Hospital for further treatment.
The two men had been camping in a remote area 50km south-west of Darwin when they decided to take a helicopter flight around 6pm.
Based on the pilot's recounts the accident appears to have been a result of pilot error.
- NZHERALD STAFF
Australia helicopter rescue after crash in crocodile-infested mudflats
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