Race to rescue injured tramper

Emergency services raced against time to rescue an injured man who fell down a steep bank in rugged North Taranaki bush.

The 54-year-old broke his arm and leg after he fell 10m down a bank while walking the Moki Track in Tahora on Wednesday afternoon.

A walking mate walked about 10km to seek help, and a search and rescue operation co-ordinated by police involving the Taranaki Community Rescue Helicopter, St John, Alpine Cliff Rescue team and LandSAR volunteers launched about 4.30pm.

Helicopter general manager Andy Cronin said it was a challenging rescue.

“Because he was down in a gorge under a tree canopy . . . he was very hard to spot, impossible.”

He said without the efforts of the injured tramper’s mate, finding him would have been that much harder.

Cronin said with his guidance they were able to locate the injured man.

“We ended up winching the friend and a St John medic down into a clearing so they was could walk back along the track.”

The medic was able to move the patient to a clearing near the top of the Waitara River.

Bad weather and heavy rain threatened to bring an end to the rescue operation, just before the helicopter was able to get the man out.

The man was transported to Taranaki Base Hospital for medical treatment.

Cronin said he’d come back from visiting the man in Taranaki Base Hospital.

“He’s in good spirits and has realised just how lucky he is.”