Driver dies in a Serious Crash near Scone

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A driver has died after a serious accident on the New England Highway at Scone.

Emergency services were called to the highway near Parkville just after 8 o'clock this morning following reports a ute had collided with a truck.

The 21-year-old male driver of the ute died at the scene while the male truck driver was trapped in the vehicle for a short time.

The truck driver, a 61-year-old man, has now been flown to the John Hunter Hospital with possible lower leg and neck injuries.

The highway is closed in both directions while police try to figure out just how the accident occurred.

There are diversions in place for light vehicles and larger vehicles are being parked.

Man recovering in John Hunter after car roll over

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A man is reportedly in the John Hunter Hospital with some nasty injuries after a single car roll over in Warnervale overnight.

At around 1:30 this morning, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter was called to Hue Hue Road where the 48-year-old was found trapped in the vehicle for around half an hour.

He was flown to hospital suffering head, chest and leg injuries - there are no details on his current condition.

A woman survives terrifying fall in Watagan Mountains.

BY IAN CROUCH and JESSICA ROUSE

A woman has survived a terrifying fall in the Watagan Mountains over the weekend.

There were reports the woman had been rock climbing when she fell but it's now understood the 46-year-old had been camping in the area and was walking through the bush when she slipped and fell 10 metres suffering serious injuries.

She was stabilised at the scene by paramedics before she was carried out by the Police Rescue Squad to a waiting 4-wheel drive ambulance before she was airlifted by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter in a serious but stable condition to the John Hunter Hospital.

Westpac Rescue Helicopter on the scene.

Man crushed by metal frame near Singleton

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A 35-year-old man is nursing chest injuries in the John Hunter Hospital after he was crushed by a metal frame near Singleton this morning.

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter was called to an abattoir at Whittingham where they found the man had been crushed by a frame which fell off a forklift.

He was flown to hospital and is a stable condition.

Motorcyclist killed at West Wallsend

BY IAN CROUCH and JESSICA ROUSE

A young motorcyclist has died after a horror crash at West Wallsend yesterday.

He was travelling north on the M1 just after 4:30pm when he crashed on the exit linking the motorway with the Newcastle Link Road.

The man was treated at the scene by paramedics but died a short time later.

Police are yet to release his name, and his family are travelling to Newcastle today.

Investigations are continuing but police say initial investigations has led them to believe the vehicle left the road and crashed.

Northbound traffic was diverted via George Booth Drive and Cameron Park Drive while police and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter attended.

Mountain Bike rider impaled

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A 23-year-old woman is recovering in the John Hunter Hospital after a nasty mountain bike accident yesterday.

The woman was impaled in the thigh by the handlebars of her bike while riding through bushland at Ourimbah.

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter was called to the scene early yesterday afternoon and transported her to hospital.

She's reported to be in a stable condition.

Experienced skydiver landing goes wrong near Singleton

BY JESSICA ROUSE

An elderly man was flown to the John Hunter Hospital yesterday after a sky diving accident at Elderslie near Singleton.

The 83-year-old man, who was an experienced sky diver, "landed heavily" following a solo jump.

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter was called to the incident shortly after 1pm where the man was taken to hospital in a stable condition with a broken femur.

Car accident on Wybong Road last night

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter was called to a nasty accident near Muswellbrook last night.

A man was flown to the John Hunter Hospital after he sustained serious injuries in a single vehicle accident on Wybong Road.

The 42-year-old is reported to be in a stable condition.

Rescue Helicopter officially says hello to Belmont

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter's new home at Belmont was officially opened this morning by NSW Ambulance Commissioner Dominic Morgan.

The base is worth $5.5 million and enables the NSW Ambulance and Hunter New England Health medical team to deliver faster and go further across regional, rural and remote NSW communities.

The opening of the Belmont base is part of the $151.2 million state-wide Helicopter Retrieval Network which is the single biggest NSW Government investment in aeromedical services in the state's history.

"This is a $5.5 million base and that's not even counting the aircraft which is here to support it so when you look at it $2.2 million was directly out of Restart Hunter and it was a great leg up to the partnership and it's allowed us to deliver a great base to the community," said Commissioner Dominic Morgan.

It's one of the first new NSW Ambulance & Westpac Rescue Helicopters in the state funded in part by the NSW Government.

Helicopter Paramedic Adam Butt couldn't more happy to work at what is a world class base.

"The last base that we worked at Broadmeadow, it started off as a very small base and it grew and we just kind of tacked on little bits as we got more funding and this base is purposefully designed for our workflow from us getting the job, getting into the operations plan, getting into the aircraft, starting the aircraft and getting underway," he said.

It's been in the making for many years, and is sure to be in service for many to come.

"If you're a doctor or a nurse or a pilot or a crewman and you got to work from this base, you were thinking you were working in the best possible place in your career so many of the staff that have joined with us now as part of the partnership have come from other organisations and couldn't be happier with the aircraft they get to fly on," said Commissioner Dominic Morgan.

Head on collision in Lochinvar overnight

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A man is recovering in the John Hunter Hospital after a nasty accident in Lochinvar overnight.

The Hunter's Westpac Rescue Helicopter and Emergency Services were called to the New England Highway following reports of a two car head on collision at around 7:45pm.

A man in his 20s was stabilised at the scene before being flown to the John Hunter Hospital with pelvic injuries.

No information on the condition of the other driver at this stage.

Industrial accident at Bulahelah

BY IAN CROUCH and JESSICA ROUSE

Workcover will investigate an industrial accident at Buladelah yesterday where a man sustained a serious leg injury.

A 59-year-old man was working at a sawmill when the machinery fell on him.

The Hunter's Westpac Rescue Helicopter flew a medical team to the site where the man's condition was stabilised.

He was airlifted to John Hunter Hospital and is reported to still be in a stable condition.

Police Investigate Wallsend Hit And Run

BY IAN CROUCH

Police say there are gaps in the story given by three men who's friend was hit by a four-wheel drive in bushland at Wallsend last night.

Police the four men had been drinking and were walking on the bush tracks off Bulkara Street just after 6.00pm when a white 4-wheel drive hit one of them at an intersection and failed to stop.

The 28-year-old was airlifted to the John Hunter Hospital by the region's Westpac Rescue Helicopter in a stable condition with chest injuries.

However, his friends were unable to provide a description of the vehicle or even a partial registration number.


Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Women Spend Night on Rock Ledge Above Dudley Beach

BY GEORGIA LUPTON

Two women have spent a night on a cliff ledge after becoming trapped during a walk between Merewether and Redhead Beaches.

The two 27-year-olds set off on their coastal trek at around 4:30 yesterday afternoon before they became trapped due to the terrain and fading light.

The women contacted a friend around 6:30pm, advising them of their situation.

The friend contacted emergency services at around 11pm when the women failed to return home.

Police and ambulance paramedics found the women on a rock ledge above the waterline near Dudley Beach just after 11:30pm.

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter attended the scene however, it was deemed too dangerous to winch the women out.

A paramedic was winched to the women due to concerns regarding dehydration and communication.

Ground parties were expected to walk the women out of the area at first light this morning.

BREAKING! Surfer Attacked By Shark North Of Port Stephens

BY IAN CROUCH

The Hunter's Westpac Rescue helicopter has been called to Seven Mile Beach south of Forster where a man has been bitten bitten a shark.

Paramedics say the 62-year-old man was left with deep lacerations to his foot when he was attacked just after 9am near The Ruins campground, by what's believed to be a great white shark.

Police say he also suffered  puncture wounds to his arm but managed to swim to shore and raise the alarm

It's reported the shark came up underneath the man's surfboard, snapping it in ha;lf.

The helicopter has landed on the helipad at Pacific Palms Bowling Club and will fly the injured man to Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital for treatment.

Seven Mile Beach has been closed until further notice.

Police from the Manning Great Lakes Local Area Command are working with officers from the Department of  Primary Industries and Fisheries

The Injured Man Gives The Thumbs Up After Arriving At John Hunter Hospital Picture: Fairfax Media

The Hunter's Westpac Rescue Helicopter Prepares To Transport Shark Attack Victim

The Remains Of The Victim's Surfboard Picture: Fairfax Media

Truck Fire Closes New England Highway At Ravensworth

IAN CROUCH

 A semi-trailer carrying a load of paper has burst into flames after crashing into an abandoned car parked on the side of the New England Highway near Singleton.

The crash happened at Ravensworth just before 10pm  and sparked a large scrub fire.

The driver, a man in his 40's, suffered leg injuries and was flown to the John Hunter Hospital by the region's Westpac Rescue Helicopter in a serious condition.

The highway was blocked for almost 8 hours while emergency crews cleared the scene.

Newcastle Fire Command says the parked car was destroyed in the crash.

Updated: Fatality at Blow Hole in Port Macquarie

BY BRIDGET GUNN

The Hunter Westpac Rescue helicopter has been successful in rescuing a 15-year-old boy from the water at the Blow Hole in Port Macquarie this morning.

The boy has been taken to Port Macquarie Hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

Unfortunately the 14-year-old boy he was with could not be saved.

Police have been told that a group of males were seen jumping from rocks into the water.

A report is being prepared for the coroner by the police.

Further details to come as they are made available.

Westpac Rescue Helicopter
Source: australianvisitation.com.au

Search For Missing Man In Newcastle Harbour

BY IAN CROUCH

Emergency services swung into action early this morning to search for a missing man in Newcastle harbour.

Security guards noticed the man getting into the water near the Port Waratah coal loader just before 1.30am and called police.

The Hunter's Westpac Rescue Helicopter joined the search just after 3 o'clock but couldn't find any trace of the man.

Police say no-one's been reported missing and they now believe the man managed to get out of the water.

Photo Courtesy rescuehelicopter.com.au

Two Inmates Badly Burned in Cessnock Gaol Fire

BY IAN CROUCH

 Two inmates remain in a critical condition and at least one prison guard has been treated for burns after a fire broke out at Cessnock Gaol last night.

The blaze started in a maximum security cell just after 8pm - the two inmates aged 21 and 24 were flown to the Burns Unit at Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital by the Hunter's Westpac Rescue Helicopter and the Ambulance Rescue Helicopter.

Police say 12 prison officers and staff needed treatment including for smoke inhalation.

Corrective Services Commissioner, Peter Severin says it's believed the fire started when bed linen and clothing were set alight.

One of the inmates is loaded into the Ambulance Rescue helicopter

Fire crews leave Cessnock Gaol after extinguishing the fire Photos courtesy Fairfax media.