A dramatic rescue has unfolded off St Helens Beach north of Mackay following a two hour search for a missing jet skier.
CQ Rescue was tasked around 12:30pm Friday to assist in the search for the missing man in the waters off St Helens Beach.
The rescue helicopter and crew searched the area for roughly two hours before locating the jet ski, however there was initially no sign of the rider.
As the helicopter’s fuel reserves were reaching the point where the crew needed to return to base, they made one final sweep of the search area.
During that pass, the crew spotted the missing man in the water waving his arm for help before he disappeared beneath the surface.
The crew immediately deployed the rescue swimmer via the helicopter winch, who recovered the man from the water unconscious and in a critical condition.
He was brought back to the helicopter and the onboard medical team immediately commenced advanced life support, including CPR, which continued throughout the flight back to Mackay.
Upon arrival at the Mackay Airport base, the patient was transferred to a waiting ambulance and transported to Mackay Base Hospital in a critical condition.
