Hawke’s Bay Rescue Helicopter completes 220+ missions in 2025

Base manager and senior pilot, Bill Hartree says he commends his team's ability to perform in often unpredictable and challenging conditions.

“We’ve seen a consistently high tempo again this year with the professionalism, teamwork, and calm under pressure I see every day a real credit to the crew," Hartree says. "Importantly, we’ve seen strong patient outcomes overall, which speaks to both the clinical expertise on board and the coordinated response from our partners on the ground.”

In May, Willie Murphy experienced firsthand the expertise of the service when he fell headfirst 100 metres down a hillface.

A mid-morning tour on a friend's farm turned into a hillside helicopter rescue as Murphy survived the fall suffering 11 broken ribs, a perforated lung and a broken foot.

When Hawke's Bay's Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter crew received an epirb call, they expected the worst, and within minutes of arriving at the accident scene near Hastings spotted Murphy lying awkwardly on a sheep track unconscious.

Jack Faxon Jr., a critical care flight paramedic recalls the winch rescue.

“My general impression was that externally he looked well although he was in immense pain, his mates were applying pressure to the wounds on his head (their contribution cannot go unrecognised as they did a great job administering first aid with what they had to hand). Willie had several lacerations on his forehead that were bleeding when the pressure was removed. He was conscious but overall confused," he says.

“Once we winched him into the chopper we landed and reassessed him, we gave him IV analgesia and oxygen as his respirations were impaired due to all the fractures. Given that he fell around 100 metres we think he is incredibly lucky - I have seen people die from five metre falls.”

Murphy says he is acutely aware of how fortunate he is to have survived.

"It was a beautiful day, and as we looked out toward Te Mata Peak, we could see all the way to the wind farm and the Kawekas in the distance. We were on a farm tour, and I was sitting on a grassy rise, taking in the sweeping views across Hawke’s Bay - completely unaware that just beyond the edge was a steep, dangerous drop.

“When it was time to leave, I stood up but lost my footing in my gumboots on some long, tufty grass. The next thing I remember is tumbling headfirst down the hillside. I clearly recall thinking, ‘Oh my god, I can’t stop here.’

“The next moment I was conscious, I was lying at the bottom of a deep gully, surrounded by my mates. Hearing the sound of the helicopter overhead was a huge relief. I was struggling to breathe and trying to stay calm, even though my back and ribs were in agony.”

Murphy spent nine days in hospital recovering from his injuries. He required no surgery, but 11 broken ribs, a ruptured lung and 16 breaks to the top of his foot have been “pretty sore and debilitating.”

“I’m amazingly thankful there was only damage to my ribs and foot, my head took a lot of gashes and I was one rock away from a very different outcome to my spinal cord.

“The calm reassurance and skill the crew showed that day getting me up to that skid and to hospital within an hour was pretty amazing. What’s more, six days later on a quiet Sunday my rescue crew came and saw me in hospital which was a pretty cool personal touch.”

Hawke’s Bay’s Rescue Helicopter crew are bracing for a busy summer ahead as more people get outdoors in pursuit of activities.

The service conducts around 400 lifesaving missions every year – made possible through essential Government funding combined with the generous support of local communities who provide grants, sponsorship and donations to sustain operations.

If you are an individual, business or large-scale funder wanting to support the region’s critical air rescue service, please call (06) 878 1630.