French man injured in Ngauruhoe fall

FILE

A man in his early twenties was rescued off Mt Ngauruhoe yesterday after injuring himself in a fall.

The Greenlea Rescue Helicopter picked up the French national after he sustained a suspected ankle fracture and a laceration to his head.

He was with a group of three who raised the alarm.

Due to passing cloud obscuring much of Mt Ngauruhoe Ruapehu Alpine rescue team members were used for the initial locate and recovery phase on the operation.

The passing cloud momentarily cleared and allowed the RARO team to be hover loaded out of the helicopter onto the steep northern slope of Mt Ngauruhoe.

Unfortunately the patient located on the western side of the mountain was still surrounded in thick cloud.

Despite the poor visibility the Ruapehu Alpine Rescue team quickly traversed their way around the mountain and found the injured man.

After a brief assessment of his injuries a momentary clearance in the cloud allowed the helicopter, which was waiting engine running in the south crater of Mt Tongariro, to ascend to the injured man, who was transferred to Rotorua Hospital.