VIC: Modest hero tells of Winston Churchill crew rescue

AAP General News (Australia)
12-29-1998
VIC: Modest hero tells of Winston Churchill crew rescue

By Greg Rule

MELBOURNE, Dec 29 AAP - An air ambulance service paramedic today told how he swam through
treacherous waters to rescue four crew in a liferaft from the stricken yacht, Winston
Churchill.

Late yesterday Paramedic Cam Robertson was winched down to the liferaft adrift about 150 km
off the Victorian coast. He swam to and climbed aboard the raft to fit harnesses to the crew
so they could be winched to safety.

The air ambulance came to the rescue, after the liferaft was spotted by a search and rescue
aircraft.

Initially, Mr Robertson thought only one sailor from the Winston Churchill was in the
liferaft.

"But we were delighted to find there were four of them in the liferaft," he said. "Apart
from being cold, they were in pretty good health and exceptionally pleased to see us, you
might say."

The Winston Churchill was swamped about 4pm, Sunday by a wave the four crew told Mr
Robertson was about 25 metres high.

During the night their liferaft capsized twice, but they managed to scramble back aboard on
both occasions.

They kept their heads during the ordeal, just as Mr Robertson displayed an admirable sense
of calm during their rescue.

"There are obviously, a lot of things that can go wrong. But if you have got confidence in
your crew members and feel you can do the job, there is not that frightening aspect to it," he
said.

"But there is certainly a bit of adrenalin going. You have got to be on the ball.

"This whole scenario is pretty unique to have so many yachts dismasted in a fairly confined
space where the weather was just terrible and sea conditions that were just treacherous.

"There's no doubt that having the privilege of rescuing people like that, it is a great
feeling. That is what you are trained for and to actually winch people up out of circumstances
where they are not going to survive too much longer, it is a tremendous feeling.

"I just hope the other five are okay."

AAP gfr/cjh

KEYWORD: SYDHOB HERO

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