Westpac chopper rescues three  THREE Victorian tourists have had
lucky escapes in three separate incidents yesterday when they
were winched to safety by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.  The
first incident occurred about 2.30pm  when the helicopter
responded to reports of a seriously ill Victorian woman.  The
63-year-old woman was flown by helicopter to the Royal Hobart
Hospital for treatment.  As the helicopter arrived at the
hospital with the ill Victorian woman a PRB activation and
reports of a woman with a broken ankle were simultaneously
radioed to the chopper.  The Westpac Rescue Helicopter attended
to the PRB activation first, which had been activated in the
vicinity of the Farmhouse Creek track to Federation Peak.  A
48-year-old Victorian man and his walking companion were winched
to safety after the man had suffered a serious leg injury.  The
operation involved several winches and a Tasmania Police rescue
crewman and an Ambulance Tasmania paramedic.  The man was then
flown back to the helicopter base w