Two women were lucky to walk away with only cuts and bruises after being washed into a sea cave near Catherine Hill Bay on Saturday afternoon.
The pair in the 20s had been swimming at Ghosties Beach around 5 o’clock when they lost their footing on the sand and were swept towards the caves.
Emergency services rushed to the unpatrolled beach where the Westpac Rescue Helicopter was prepped to attempt a daring manoeuvre.
A critical care paramedic was winched down to the cave entrance where the two women were clinging to the rock face and extricate them one at a time.
The chopper airlifted both patients back to the staging area where they were transferred to an ambulance and then to hospital.
Both women suffered cuts and bruises but were last reported to be in stable conditions.