Four rescued from roof of stranded 4WD in flooded river in Gippsland

Four people have been rescued by police helicopter after their four-wheel drive was swept into floodwater in eastern Victoria. The vehicle became stranded in the Macalister River crossing at Burgoyne Track, about 20 kilometres south of Licola, on Thursday evening. The occupants climbed onto the roof of the vehicle before being winched to safety by the Victoria Police Air Wing.

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Police said the group, made up of three women and one man, attempted to cross the river at about 8pm local time. The Macalister River was under a minor flood warning at the time. As the vehicle crossed, the rear began to lift in the water before the engine stalled and the 4WD was carried into the current.

It drifted about 25 metres downstream before stopping, and the occupants used a satellite phone to call for help. The Rescue Coordination Centre received the group's coordinates and sent the Air Wing to the scene. A crew member was lowered to the roof of the vehicle before all four people were lifted out by helicopter.

Police said the occupants were cold and wet but uninjured, and they were taken to hospital for observation. The vehicle remains in the river and will be recovered once water levels fall. The rescue highlights the risks of driving through floodwater, even when warnings are described as minor.

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Emergency warnings were in place across parts of Gippsland, and police again urged drivers to monitor local conditions and avoid flood-affected roads. In Victoria, river crossings can become dangerous quickly when water levels rise, particularly in rural areas where conditions may change faster than road users expect. The incident also underlines the role of helicopter rescue teams in remote flood responses.

The Air Wing was able to reach the stranded group after their satellite phone call and coordinate a winch extraction from the roof of the vehicle. Such rescues can prevent a situation from becoming more serious, especially when people are isolated and floodwater is moving through a crossing. It is not yet clear when the vehicle will be recovered, or whether further flood-related disruptions will affect the area.

Authorities are continuing to warn people not to enter floodwater and to check conditions before travelling. The broader flood situation in Gippsland will remain a focus while warnings stay in place and water levels are monitored.

#Victoria #Gippsland #floodrescue #MacalisterRiver #policehelicopter

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