A young RAN sailor descended 19 times from his hovering helicopter into a "state four" sea to rescue 19 people, four of them young children, after their inter-island ferry sank near the Solomon Islands late last month.

The people had been inside or were clinging to the side of a rubber raft for between six and eight hours before they were rescued.

One of the rescued was close to death when recovered and was flown to the medical centre on HMAS Melbourne where he was given oxygen, transfusions and warming.

Later a rescue vessel retrieved another 50 people from the ocean.

The dramatic rescue took place off the island of Malaita in the Solomons on August 16 while HMAS Melbourne was at anchor off Honiara on peace monitoring duties.

On that afternoon the Defence Attache in Honiara asked CMDR Steve McDowall, the CO of Melbourne if he could help rescue between 40 and 50 people put into the sea when their ferry sank.

CMDR McDowall dispatched Tiger 78, one of Melbourne's Seahawk helicopters to the search area.

The helicopter could not find the survivors initially because a current of 1 to 2 knots had pushed them to the north and north-west.

The helicopter widened its search pattern and after 40 minutes sighted a smoke flare.

The aviators honed in on the smoke to find a number of adults and children inside or clinging to the side of a rubber raft.

At the time the sea state was "three" rising to "four."

While the pilots kept Tiger 78 in the hover, LSA Justin Poole donned a harness with a "buddy strop" and was lowered by winch to the water.

Twelve times he put a patient into the strop and returned to the helicopter.

With 12 survivors on board it was decided to take them to the nearby town of Auki on Malaita Island , a 10 minute flight away.

With the 12 safely on the ground the helicopter returned to the scene with LSA Poole again going into the water to rescue another seven survivors.

It was found however, that one survivor, a man aged 23, was in serious distress.

He had a very faint pulse and was suffering shock, hypothermia, dehydration and exhaustion.

Meanwhile the pilots had sighted the rescue vessel Saltai 11 and directed it to the search scene.

Owing to the condition of the patient and the fuel status of Tiger 78 it was decided to return to Melbourne.

From the flight deck of the 4,100 tonne frigate the patient was taken to the wardroom where the ship's doctor and medics began emergency treatment including transfusions and oxygen therapy.

The other six survivors were given blankets and warm food and drinks.

Meanwhile the rescue vessel had recovered another 50 people.

CMDR McDowall said he had learned that the ferry Thomas had lost some caulking and took water rapidly during the earlier part of the day.

"At one stage the master was thinking of running it on to a reef to save it," CMDR McDowall said.

He said the response by his Ship's Company was the epitome of professionalism and excellence.

"A tragedy was averted through professionalism, endurance and speed of response by all concerned and close liaison with the Defence attache.

"I am very proud of my ship's company. It is the best in the Navy," CMDR McDowall said.

By Graham Davis