Rescue helicopter called out four times in four days

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

THE ECT rescue helicopter has flown four missions in the past four days.

One of them involved an incident in Paremata Road at Tolaga Bay on Saturday, where a vehicle left the road and came to rest against a power pole.

A 78 year old man in the vehicle was flown to Gisborne Hospital.

“The man had suffered a medical event resulting in the vehicle leaving the road.

“He was flown to Gisborne in a serious condition,” a chopper spokeswoman said.

On Friday the helicopter flew to Wairoa to transport a 75-year-old man to Hawke’s Bay Hospital after he suffered a suspected hip fracture.

There were two further medical-related callouts for the chopper, both to Hicks Bay, on Friday and Sunday.