Whitsundays shark attack: ‘Rubbish’ job proves a lucky break for rescue chopper

RESCUE helicopter crew officer Ben McCauley ended up taking part in both shark attack rescues, but his key role in getting the two victims back to safety only came about because of a mission to a rubbish tip.

RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter crewman Ben McCauley took part in both shark attack casualty evacuations to Mackay Hospital. Picture: Daryl Wright

A HELICOPTER rescue officer was dropped into water to help save Tasmanian woman Justine Barwick who was attacked by a shark only minutes earlier in the Whitsundays.
RACQ Central Queensland helicopter rescue crew officer Ben McCauley said his team was nearby by chance, having been rummaging through the Proserpine tip after a call-out for an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon going off.

Man tells of shark encounter as 12yo victim named

Second shark attack in Cid Harbour in less than 24 hours

Woman in serious condition after shark attack off Whitsunday Island

Ms Barwick, a mother of two, was attacked by the shark at Cid Harbour, north of Hamilton Island on Wednesday afternoon.
Off-duty emergency doctor Dr John Hadok, who was holidaying in a nearby boat, helped stabilise Ms Barwick and move her from a yacht after others gave her lifesaving first aid to control the bleeding.
With little light and low fuel, the crew decided to winch Mr McCauley down.

“We opted to get the patient into the tender on the back of the yacht and move her out into the open water where we could get myself down with the air rescue vest,” Mr McCauley said.

RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter crewman Ben McCauley took part in both shark attack casualty evacuations to Mackay Hospital. Picture: Daryl Wright

“I actually got lowered into the water about 5m away and swam the last 5m to the tender.
“To be honest, when you’re on the job, you’re on the job; I had 100 other things that I was concentrating on than the shark.”

He then climbed aboard and did an assessment of Ms Barwick who was semiconscious on a yacht.
They then moved Ms Barwck from the yacht to an inflatable dingy to winch her into the helicopter.

“She had lost a lot of blood, a lot of colour from her skin had gone,” Mr McCauley said.

“We didn’t have enough fuel to get back to the hospital so we had to land at Proserpine for fuel.
“One of the paramedics from the Proserpine area came over with some more blood for us so we could put another bag of blood through her as well.
“We got the minimum amount of fuel and then left,” he said.

The crew then flew to Mackay Base Hospital.

Shag Islet Cruising Yacht Club Vice-Commodore of Cid Harbour, Gabby Crehan, was swimming in the water 15 minutes before Ms Barwick was attacked on Wednesday.

“There was blood all over the back of the boat,” she said.

“She bled a huge amount before she got on board.

“Someone then was yelling ‘please can anybody help, can anybody help?’

“Very quickly there were three dinghies from yachts nearby heading in to help and then two guys in a dinghy said is anyone a doctor or nurse?”

Ms Barwick was flown from Mackay to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. She was in a stable condition last night.
“That’s the whole reason we chose this profession. It’s always rewarding, coming home knowing you have made the difference, you have saved a life,” Mr McCauley said.