Scotland Island: Critical injuries for boy, 10, after buggy rollover

A dramatic and delicate aerial rescue operation has been carried out on Scotland Island, in Sydney’s north, after a boy was badly hurt when a golf buggy rolled.

A child suffered a critical injury when a golf buggy rolled in a remote community on Sydney’s northern beaches.

The boy, 10, had to be winched from by helicopter from Scotland Island, in Pittwater, in a delicate rescue operation on Thursday night.

The golf buggy that rolled on Scotland Island, injuring a boy, 10, and a 54-year-old woman. Picture: NSW Fire and Rescue Narrabeen

The NSW Ambulance helicopter, winching a boy from Scotland Island who had been badly injured when a golf buggy rolled on Thursday evening. Picture: NSW Ambulance

Emergency personnel, including four ambulance crews and a NSW Ambulance helicopter, had to free the child who was trapped under the buggy for 45 minutes.

NSW Ambulance said the boy suffered a “critical” pelvic injury and leg injuries in the rollover on Thompson St.

A woman, 54, was also injured. She suffered an injury to her back.

While the boy was being freed from under the vehicle, a NSW Ambulance Critical Care Paramedic and a doctor worked to stabilise his condition.

The NSW Ambulance rescue helicopter over Scotland Island. Picture: NSW Fire and Rescue Narrabeen

After the boy was freed from under the vehicle, he was winched into the NSW Ambulance Helicopter and flown to the Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick, in a critical condition.

The woman was taken to Royal North Shore Hospital in a stable condition by ambulance after a boat tide from the island.

The NSW Ambulance’s director of helicopter operations, Cameron Edgar, praised the work of Scotland Island residents in helping emergency services move the injured from the island.

“Being in such a remote location it was great to have our community first responders on scene first,” Superintendent Edgar said.

Emergency authorities said it was a “difficult extraction” to winch the badly injured boy from Scotland Island in the dark. Picture: NSW Real Estate.

“It was an unbelievable team effort from all emergency services.

“ Members of the community were essential in helping create a safe environment to winch the young boy.

“It was a tough environment with limited daylight to work with. We had to continually monitor the weather conditions with a storm front close by.”

Superintendent Edgar conformed the boy was trapped for almost 45 minutes.

“It was a very difficult extrication. The NSW Ambulance critical care paramedic, doctor and flight crew did a fantastic job to winch the patient to safety in darkness.

“We urge the public to take care around motor vehicles, they can be extremely dangerous and cause serious injury.”