Woman rescued after serious injury

An injured tramper is winched by the Tauranga TrustPower TECT Rescue Helicopter. Photo/supplied

The Tauranga based Trustpower TECT Rescue helicopter was called across to Mt Pirongia where a 43-year-old Auckland woman had fallen 4 metres while tramping near the summit yesterday.

She received serious leg fractures as a result.

The Waikato Westpac air ambulance was able to hover load a Paramedic and Search and Rescue (SAR) personel to assist the patient but decided hover loading the patient into the aircraft was too risky.

They called the Trustpower TECT rescue helicopter to winch the woman and SAR personel out using the 'Port of Tauranga' rescue winch as the Waikato Air Ambulance winch was away for service.

The patient was flown to Waikato hospital for treatment.

Philips Search and Rescue Trust is a charitable organisation, operating rescue helicopters throughout the Central North Island.