Rescue chopper called to island emergency

Holidaymaker winched off Fraser Island by a rescue chopper

A sick man has been airlifted off Fraser Island. Picture: Contributed

A HOLIDAYMAKER was winched off Fraser Island by a rescue chopper after he suddenly became ill this morning.

The middle-aged man suffered a medical incident and needed to be emergency airlifted from Sandy Cape Beach by the Sunshine Coast-based RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter.

An aeromedical crew winched a LifeFlight Critical Care doctor and Queensland Ambulance Service flight paramedic onto the beach with a stretcher to administer treatment and stabilise the man.

The man was flown to Hervey Bay Hospital in a stable condition.

On completion of the mission, the rescue helicopter was immediately re-tasked to a serious motor vehicle accident on the Bruce Highway.