Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern praises 'courageous' pilots' 'brave' White Island rescues
Tuesday, 10 December 2019
The 'courageous' efforts of helicopter pilots to land on Whakaari/White Island at the time of Monday's eruption to rescue survivors has been praised by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
'I want to acknowledge the courageous decision made by first responders, and those pilots who, in [an] immediate rescue effort, made [an] incredibly brave decision, under extraordinarily dangerous circumstances, in an attempt to get people out'.
Speaking to media on Tuesday morning, she said a number of helicopters, including a Westpac Rescue helicopter, two private helicopters, and a Volcanic Air helicopter, made a deliberate decision to fly to the island and rescue survivors, despite the existing dangers.
'As a result of their efforts, a number of people were rescued from the island.'
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'One Westpac helicopter landed on the island and [was] able to transport survivors back to the mainland. Two private helicopters were also able to land and rescue survivors, along with a Volcanic Air helicopter.'
Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopters explained there were three rescue choppers in action - Westpac 1 flew two intensive care paramedics to the island to assess patients, then transferred a young female patient from Whakatane Hospital; Westpac 2 also ferried medical staff and assisted in search and rescue efforts; Westpac 3 delivered 13 units of blood to Whakatane Airfield and transferred a female patient in a critical condition to Waikato Hospital.
Ardern said there were two groups of people on the island at the time - those who were able to evacuated and those who were close to the eruption.
Forty-seven people were believed to be on the island at the time - at least five have since died, and eight remain missing.
Since it erupted on Monday afternoon there have been aerial reconnaissance flights, but no signs of life had been seen at any point.
Police said anyone who didn't get off White Island had likely perished.
'The police Eagle helicopter, rescue helicopter, and NZDF aircraft have undertaken a number of aerial reconnaissance flights over the island since the eruption. No signs of life have been seen at any point,' police said in a release at 12.10am.