A miner was airlifted to Mackay Base Hospital after a coal collapse trapped him by the foot at the Carborough Downs Underground Coal Mine last week. The 34-year-old Sarina man was working underground when the incident occurred, causing a significant amount of rubble to fall on him, leaving him trapped.
The miner was freed by a mine rescue team before being treated on site by paramedics. The RACQ CQRescue chopper, with a doctor and paramedic on board, was called to the scene to airlift the patient to Mackay Base Hospital, which was located 288km away. The 3.5-hour task required careful coordination and expertise to ensure the safe transfer of the injured worker.
The rescue helicopter landed at the nearby Poitrel Mine site, where the patient was transported from the underground mine. The man was treated by paramedics on site before being transferred to the chopper, which flew him to the hospital in a stable condition.
Photo credit: RACQ CQ Rescue
