More details from an amazing gorge rescue overnight

A 55-year-old woman who was injured in a fall at the Umbrawarra Gorge at Pine Creek.

St John Ambulance paramedics from Katherine went to Pine Creek late last night where the 55-year-old had sustained a leg injury.

A 55-year-old woman has been airlifted from Umbrawarra Gorge in Pine Creek overnight after she slipped and sustained a head and ankle injury.

In a Territory first, CareFlight’s crew used Night Vision Goggle technology during the overnight helicopter winch mission.

“There is no way we would have been able to fly into the gorge last night without the Night Vision Goggles,” aircrew officer Matthew Cook said.

“We also wouldn’t have been able to fly into the gorge without our helicopter, the helicopter allowed us to get in and retrieve the woman in just a few hours. Without it, she would have had to walk out and be driven to hospital, which could have taken up to 12 hours.”

The Night Vision Goggles that CareFlight crews use during night missions amplify available light by over 60,000 times and allow the crews to see the ground and obstacles, something that isn’t possible with the naked eye.

CareFlight, operating the Top End Medical Retrieval Service on behalf of the Northern Territory Government, tasked the Top End Rescue Helicopter to the scene shortly after 6.30pm last night.

Once CareFlight’s helicopter was overhead, a nurse was winched down to assess and treat the patient.

The woman was flown to Royal Darwin Hospital in a stable condition.

Bystanders and Pine Creek Clinic provided initial care for the woman, and Northern Territory Police and Fire crews also attended.

Careflight would like to thank St Johns Ambulance and the Northern Territory Police and Fire crews for their help during the rescue.