Currimundi hiker helps rescue parachutist on Mount Beerwah hours before her death

A senior paramedic has revealed heroic and heartbreaking details of how a young hiker helped rescue an injured parachutist on Mt Beerwah only hours before her tragic death.

Queensland Ambulance Service operations supervisor Leighton Allen describes how a young hiker helped rescue an injured parachutist on Mt Beerwah. Photo: Supplied.

A senior paramedic has revealed the woman who tragically died after falling 40m down a popular Sunshine Coast mountain played a heroic role in helping rescue a seriously injured parachutist only hours before her own death.

Emergency services rushed to three incidents at Mount Beerwah, Sunshine Coast on Saturday, March 25 – the first involving a male parachutist, 52, who was seriously injured after jumping from and hitting the mountain in the morning.

The second incident was a Currimundi woman, 28, who tragically died after falling 40m onto rocks in the afternoon.

Queensland Ambulance Service operations supervisor Leighton Allen said he and his team were on their way to the injured parachutist when he made contact with the young woman who was at the scene and had started performing first aid on the stricken man.

He said she likely made the initial triple-0 call for the accident, just hours before her untimely death.

Mt Beerwah photo from the air, via RACQ LifeFlight rescue helicopter.

A Queensland Ambulance Service spokeswoman said they received a call at 7.26am about the parachutist and while on his way to the incident Mr Allen said he made five to six calls with the “extremely helpful” young woman who was describing the scene, telling him precisely where his crew needed to go and giving frequent updates on the man’s condition.

He said the young hiker was “willing to assist in any way she could”.

Queensland Ambulance Service operations supervisor Leighton Allen. Photo: Asa Andersen.

Given the parachutist had suffered major injuries to his head, chest and spine, and legs, Mr Allen said her efforts “greatly assisted with the patient’s best possible outcome”.

Mr Allen said he last heard from her about 9-10am, but later learnt the horrible news that she had tragically accidentally fallen to her death at 1.40pm.

He said she was declared deceased once his team got to her, with her body retrieved about 5pm.

Mr Allen said he discovered the woman – who was hiking with her friend from Brisbane – was an experienced climber who “climbed there regularly”.

“They weren’t amateurs,” he said.

The third incident on the mountain on Saturday involved a male hiker in his 20s who was winched to safety after losing his footing, falling several metres, and dislocating his shoulder.

LifeFlight was called in to rescue a man from Mt Beerwah on Saturday. Picture: LifeFlight

Originally published as Currimundi hiker helps rescue parachutist on Mount Beerwah hours before her death