Boy rescued after Ruahine fall

A 12-year-old boy who suffered a head injury after falling down a bluff in the Ruahine Ranges yesterday has been airlifted from bush with his 10-year-old brother and injured father.

The 35-year-old Palmerston North man and his sons went hunting in the ranges yesterday afternoon and planned to stay in the Forks Hut overnight, before the boy was injured, police central communications manager Kim Perks said.

The father suffered a gash to his leg while trying to rescue his son, and the group lost their bag containing supplies and a GPS.

The family built a shelter where they spent a cold, wet and windy night, before walking uphill this morning to get a cellphone signal.

They contacted a relative who phoned police around 10.20am.

A helicopter located the family just after midday, about 700 metres from Forks Hut, and a medic on board attended to the injured pair before the three were winched out and taken to Palmerston North Hospital.

The injured boy was conscious and alert but had nausea and dizziness, along with lacerations to his head and arm, and a possible broken arm

His father had a laceration to his leg but was able to walk unaided.

All three were suffering effects from the cold, Ms Perks said.

- NZPA