WATCH: LifeFlight rescues Qld man lost in Fraser Coast bushland

A man’s wife has praised the ‘eagle-eyed’ rescue pilots who found her husband 24 hours after he vanished while walking their two dogs. SEE THE RESCUE.

The wife of a Fraser Coast man has praised the “eagle eyed” rescue pilots who found him lying in dense bushland following a daylong search.

Jerry Winch went missing Friday afternoon from his home near Burrum Heads, about 15km northwest of Hervey Bay, while taking his two dogs for a walk.

He failed to return, sparking a massive search effort including residents from the nearby city and Maryborough.

Mr Winch’s wife Jacquie said in a social media post Saturday morning the search crews scoured the bushland tracks “until the early hours of the morning” with no success.

The search was then expanded to include a LifeFlight rescue helicopter, which finally found Mr Winch about one day after he was last seen.

Jerry Winch went missing Friday afternoon from his home near Burrum Heads, about 15km northwest of Hervey Bay, while taking his two dogs for a walk. He was rescued by LifeFlight on April 29, 2025.

In a statement Sunday a LifeFlight spokesman said the on-board flight paramedic first directed police to Mr Winch’s location, before being winched down to assess the man.

Mr Winch was then lifted back into the helicopter while police took the dogs to a safe location.

The chopper then landed at a nearby field where Mr Winch was given further treatment and taken to Hervey Bay Hospital.

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On Saturday night Jacquie Winch took to social media to thank the efforts of the people involved in the search for her husband who went “above and beyond”.

On Saturday night Ms Winch took to social media again to thank the efforts of the people involved in the search for her husband who went “above and beyond”.

This included fireys, police, and the “eagle-eyed” rescue helicopter crew who saw a “small glimpse of Jerry laying exhausted on the floor in very dense bushland”.

Mrs Winch also thanked the rescuers who “walked chest deep in grassland” to bring back the dogs.

She said Mr Winch had suffered some kidney damage from his ordeal.

“He is still very confused and has no recollection of the events of the last 24 hours, but hopefully with rest and hydration he will eventually come good,” Mrs Winch said in the post.

Originally published as WATCH: LifeFlight rescues Qld man lost in Fraser Coast bushland