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Nurse saving woman from creek falls to her death from medical helicopter

By Andrew V. Pestano
Kristin McLain, a nurse working for Travis County STAR Flight, fell to her death from a medical helicopter. Photo Courtesy Travis County STAR Flight
Kristin McLain, a nurse working for Travis County STAR Flight, fell to her death from a medical helicopter. Photo Courtesy Travis County STAR Flight

AUSTIN, Texas, April 28 (UPI) -- A nurse working from a medical helicopter fell to her death while trying to save a woman who fell in a creek near Austin, Texas.

Kristin McLain, 46, worked with the 24-hour aerial emergency medical service Travis County STAR Flight. It is the first on-duty death for the medical service.

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The rescued woman was being hoisted up to the medical helicopter from the Barton Creek Greenbelt when McLain fell. The woman was taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Strong gusts of winds were reported in the area. The incident will be investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board.

"Kristin was a wonderful Flight Nurse and a very special friend. I am going to miss her with all of my heart," STAR Flight Director of Aviation Willy Culberson said.

McLain was a veteran of STAR Flight for seven years. She was one of two female nurses on the STAR Flight staff when she joined in 2008.

STAR Flight, founded about 30 years ago, currently employs seven pilots, seven nurses, seven paramedics and three mechanics.

Travis County STAR Flight released a statement on its Facebook page:

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We are saddened to say that a STAR Flight crew member lost her life while conducting a rescue.On April 27, STAR Flight...

Posted by Travis County STAR Flight on Monday, April 27, 2015

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