One man needed to be extricated from the area on a specialised alpine sled. Photo: NSW Police.
A group of 11 people have needed rescuing after one man became unwell as they hiked in the Kosciuszko National Park.
Emergency services were called at about 9:30 am on Wednesday (9 July) and a team of five SES Alpine Search and Rescue members, two Monaro Police Alpine Operations Unit officers and three alpine-trained paramedics started the hike into the mountains to rescue the group.
A multiagency operation was launched to meet the group near Illawong Hut in the national park due to the location, group size, patient condition and hazardous weather.
There was a severe weather warning issued for the Snowy Mountains region overnight as a cold front brought blizzard conditions to the area.
A 20-year-old man was assessed by the rescuers and extricated on a specialist alpine sled, before being taken for further medical assessment.
A second party member suffered a shoulder injury.
The rest of the group cut their trip short and returned to Guthega.
“Police remind those visiting the Kosciusko National Park and surrounding areas to ensure they are properly prepared before venturing into alpine regions and monitor weather forecasts closely and continually as conditions change quickly,” a NSW Police statement read.
“The use of the online National Parks and Wildlife Service’s Trip Intention Forms and personal locator beacon is also strongly encouraged.”
According to the Bureau of Meteorology’s daily weather observations, the mercury only reached a top of negative 1.1 for Perisher Valley on Wednesday but the wind chill made it feel three degrees colder.
A maximum wind gust of 93 km/h was also recorded.
Thredbo Top Station reached negative 2.8 degrees with a wind chill of negative 4.1 degrees and a top wind gust of 104 km/h recorded.
About 20 cm of snow fell on the ski fields overnight and into this morning, with the powder continuing to fall today (10 July).
Strong winds will continue this afternoon in the wake of the cold front, with a severe weather warning for damaging winds covering parts of the Snowy Mountains, ACT and South West Slopes above 1300 metres. Westerly winds with damaging gusts exceeding 90 km/h are likely into this evening.
