WHEN you see the yellow and blue helicopter up in the sky, you can be sure that the LifeFlight crew is going off to rescue and save lives and stats from 2025 show that the Sunshine Coast-based crew airlifted nearly 700 people, including a Noosa man who fell 20 metres from a cliff and into the ocean.

The crew helped 672 people in 2025, up 18 per cent on the previous year, continuing the year-on-year growth trend for the Sunshine Coast base, which is located at their Marcoola site at SC Airport.

The helicopter clocked up 991 flight hours and attended a diverse range of incidents from search and rescues through to winching lost hikers.

There were 174 people airlifted with trauma, 100 in the wake of motor vehicle accidents, and 61 patients with cardiac complaints.

Statistics released recently show the Sunshine Coast numbers helped fuel another overall record year for LifeFlight, with 8,838 people helped over the 12 months.

LifeFlight Acting Chief Operating Officer Pete Elliott said LifeFlight’s operation included highly skilled intensive care medical teams and pilots backed up by LifeFlight’s communication, coordination and control centre known as C3.

“Preparedness is key for our crews because they do not know what will be thrown at them each day. It can range from winching hikers off a mountain in the southeast through to search and rescue missions for missing people in North Queensland,” he said.

“That’s why our investment in technology and training, alongside our partners, is so important towards delivering life-saving healthcare.”

Mr Elliott said LifeFlight was also ramping up the rollout of its free First Minutes Matter emergency trauma training workshops throughout the state in 2026.

Nearly 1200 people participated in First Minutes Matter in 2025 across 150 workshops.

“These are vital for building on community resilience by teaching people practical skills to manage life-threatening events such as car crashes, farming accidents, stroke and snake bites.”

Make 2026 the year you get up to speed and save a life. Check out the free ‘First Minutes Matter’ online course via the LifeFlight website at – https://www.lifeflight.org.au

Every 59 minutes, LifeFlight aircraft rescue a seriously ill or injured patient, flying from 10 base locations across the Asia Pacific.

Key Stats Sunshine Coast: 2025
People helped – 672 (up 18% on 2024)
991 flying hours (up 5.7%)
661 missions (up 10.5% – includes training)
8,838 people helped across the LifeFlight network (up 4.2%)