The NSW paramedic who plucked seven crew members from the disabled Launceston Sydney-to-Hobart race yacht Business Post Naiad has received one of today's Australian Bravery Decorations.
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Murray Traynor, 34, a crew member of the NRMA Careflight 1 helicopter, was winched down into gale-swept seas seven times to rescue the surviving crew of the 12m yacht.
Skipper Bruce Guy, 51, and crewman Phil Skeggs, 35, died before help reached the dismasted and badly damaged yacht 50km east of Merimbula on the NSW south coast.
Mr Traynor, an ambulanceman from Woodford in the Blue Mountains, was one of 10 men and women awarded the Bravery Medal for their part in the nation's biggest maritime rescue operation on December 27 and 28 last year.
Eleven rescue groups were also honoured.
The 1998 Sydney-to- Hobart fleet sailed into cyclone-force winds and mountainous seas in eastern Bass Strait on Sunday, December 27.
Six people died, 55 sailors were rescued, five yachts sank and 71 entrants retired from the race.
Mr Traynor, NRMA Careflight helicopter pilot Daniel Tyler and aircrew member Graeme Fromberg also received a Group Citation for Bravery for their rescue of the Business Post Naiad crew of Rob Matthews and Tony Guy, both of Launceston; Jim Rogers of Legana; Steve Walker and Peter Keats, both of Wynyard: Shayne Hansen of Burnie; and Matthew Sherriff of Hobart.
``They were the worst conditions I'd seen, and I don't want to see them again,'' said Mr Traynor, who is based in Sydney's western suburbs.
He said the NRMA Careflight helicopter usually attended road accidents and hospital transfers. ``The furthest offshore I'd been before this was about 200m off Bondi Beach.''
It was just after 7.30am on Monday, December 28, that the helicopter was despatched from Merimbula Airport into gale-swept Bass Strait.
Mr Traynor said that Business Post Naiad had been pitching and rolling in huge waves and winds of 50-60 knots when the chopper reached it. ``The seas were just so big and unpredictable. We had to fly up to get over the waves. One minute the sea was 50 feet below and the next 10.''
Each of the yacht's crew in turn jumped into the raging sea behind the dismasted yacht to be grabbed by Mr Traynor and winched to safety.
It took just 35 minutes for the CareFlight crew to get the seven exhausted and distressed sailors into the helicopter. By 9am all were on dry land at Merimbula and being treated.
The first Business Post Naiad crewman rescued by Mr Traynor was experienced ocean sailor Rob Matthews, 46, of Launceston.
He said: ``I can't praise them enough. We were in a situation we just wanted to get out of, and it was done so quickly. (Murray) was definitely a hero. ''
Mr Traynor and winch operator Graeme Fromberg were reunited with the Business Post Naiad survivors, and with the family of the two sailors who died, at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania's recent Sydney-Hobart Race
