A four-strong team from the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter Trust who plucked a fisherman to safety, after he was trapped at the base of a cliff, have received with a top rescue award at Parliament tonight.
Michael Muggeridge was being pounded by two metre waves against a cliff face after he was thrown from a boat while crossing the Patea Bar in February last year.
The waves made it impossible for a boat to reach him, and the rescue helicopter was unable to lower a winch directly to him.
Paramedic Rob Berry was winched into the surf, put Mr Muggeridge in a rescue nappy, moved him from under the cliff into the open and the pair were winched back to the helicopter.
The winch operator, Noel Watson, had to time Mr Berry's descent so he arrived between waves, while pilot David Manduell had to keep the helicopter steady against the wind and close to the cliff, NZ Search and Rescue (NZSAR) said.
Crewman Murray Chong filmed the operation.
The helicopter took Mr Muggeridge to nearby farmland where he was stabilised before he was flown to Taranaki Base Hospital.
The four rescuers were awarded the New Zealand Search and Rescue Council gold award for the most significant contribution to search and rescue in 2009, at a ceremony tonight.
The Taranaki Daily News reported earlier today that Mr Watson, who manages the rescue helicopter service, would lose his job on Friday. His position was being "disestablished" with duties to be shared among remaining staff, helicopter trust chairman Mark Masters said.
NZSAR also awarded five certificates of achievement for important contributions to search and rescue.
A team from the Managawhai Heads Volunteer Lifeguard Service was recognised after they rescued two people from a sinking boat which had hit rocks, and towed the boat towards the shore until the Coastguard arrived.
LandSAR searcher Dave Krehic and his dog Stig were recognised for their efforts in the ongoing search for missing woman Irina Yun near the Dart River in Otago in November 2009.
Mr Krehic wanted to bring her family closure, so he undertook research which narrowed down a search area, and put together a search team, including a helicopter, which he paid for himself.
After a risky and thorough search, Ms Yun's body was found.
Department of Conservation worker Don Bogie was recognised for his services, leadership and dedication to alpine search and rescue over 20 years.
Ross Gordon from the Search and Rescue Institute of New Zealand was also awarded a certificate for services, leadership and dedication to search and rescue over 40 years.
A Taranaki group, including AREC Taranaki, Alpine Cliff Rescue, LandSAR, Police Search and Rescue and an Air Force squadron, were recognised for their parts in a search for two brothers who got into difficulty on Mt Taranaki in October.
Searchers on foot found the brothers, who were evacuated by an Air Force Iroquois helicopter in tough weather conditions.
The NZSAR council, which handed out the awards, is made up of chief executives from the Ministry of Transport, Civil Aviation Authority, Maritime New Zealand, Police and the Defence Force.
