Rescue skills honed

Karl Johnson lowers ``patient'' Rupert Gardiner down a rock face at Arawata Tce during a Queenstown Alpine and Cliff Rescue team exercise on Saturday.

Co-leader Chris Prudden said 10 of the team's volunteers had drills in different scenarios with a long-line system beneath a helicopter, and practised raising and lowering a patient on a rock face.

The team, made up of experienced rock and ice climbers, typically carried out five to 15 rescues a year, he said.

PHOTO: CHRIS PRUDDEN