The fishing trawler Aleksey Slobodchikov. PHOTO STEPHEN JAQUIERY/ ODT (files) Crystal clear conditions showed the 104m-long New Zealand-registered factory boat Aleksey Slobodchikov lit up about two nautical miles offshore, and the thrum of the vessel's engines was clearly audible from Greymouth on Monday night. Maritime New Zealand's Rescue Co-ordination Centre said it was contacted about 4pm by the boat about a sick crew member on board.
The vessel was unable to get into port at Greymouth due to its size. The Otago-Southland aero-medical rescue helicopter from Dunedin was instead called in, flying directly to Greymouth. It then flew out to the vessel and winched the crew member off before ferrying him the short distance to Te Nikau Hospital for treatment, about 8pm.
No rescue helicopter machine based in Greymouth, Canterbury or Nelson is certified to carry out night-time winching manoeuvres on maritime vessels. Kevin Gale, chief pilot at Otago-Southland rescue helicopters, said the Greymouth operation was straightforward. "The weather was exceptional.
Last night it was clear and starry, with a half-metre swell and two to four knots of wind - it could not have been more perfect." Covering the bottom half of the South Island, the Otago-Southland rescue helicopters did a lot of winching off vessels in the Southern Ocean. Mr Gale also clarified the rescue would not have taken place on a smaller vessel because of safety considerations, but the size and lighting of the Aleksey Slo.