Top filmmakers die in NSW chopper crash

Leading Australian filmmaker Andrew Wight and American cinematographer Mike deGruy have died in a helicopter crash on the NSW south coast.

The dead men have been named on social media websites as Mike deGruy, aged 60, from Santa Barbara in California, and Andrew Wight, aged 51, from Victoria.

The two died when their helicopter crashed as it was taking off from an airstrip south of Berry on Saturday afternoon.

They were reportedly scouting locations for an upcoming project.

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Two men die in NSW helicopter crash

Inquiries are continuing following a fatal helicopter crash in the State’s Shoalhaven region today.

About 3.55pm (Saturday 4 February 2012), emergency services received reports that a small helicopter had crashed at an airstrip in Jaspers Brush, near Nowra.

NSW Police and other emergency services attended and found the helicopter well alight.

The 50-year-old male pilot, from Melbourne, and a male passenger – an American aged in his 50s – died at the scene.

Officers attached to Shoalhaven Local Area Command established a crime scene and specialist officers have attended and are investigating the crash.

Witnesses have told police the helicopter crashed shortly after taking-off.

Anyone who witnessed the incident, or the events leading up to it, is urged to contact Nowra Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Bushwalkers rescued - Yadboro State Forest

A group of bushwalkers from Sydney had to be winched to safety yesterday afternoon after they ran out of food and water during a four-day trek in the Yadboro State Forest west of Ulladulla.

Two men and two teenage boys were on the third day of the hike when they were forced to take shelter in a cave for the night.

They climbed to the top of Mount Fletcher and activated their distress beacon.

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Teenager falls down cliff

A teenager has been airlifted to hospital, after falling six metres down a cliff at Maloneys beach just north of Batemans Bay.

The boy, believed to be a tourist of age 17 or 18, was walking with a group of friends when he fell down onto a rock ledge at around 5:30pm 16/01/12.

STEVEN LAY from The Westpac Rescue Helicopter says he may have broken his leg

Christmas Eve tragedy on the South Coast

Police will prepare a report for the coroner following the death of a man in Ulladulla yesterday.

About 4.30pm (Saturday 24 December 2011) two men, a 30-year-old and a 42-year-old, were swimming in waters in Racecourse Beach, Ulladulla.

They were caught in a large rip and swept out.

Two onlookers entered the water to assist and were able to take the men to shore.

One of the retrieved men, a 30-year-old, was not breathing and a number of people on the beach commenced CPR to revive him until emergency services arrived.

Police and emergency paramedics arrived and continued CPR procedures but the man could not be revived.

His 42-year-old swimming companion was not injured.