The Greenlea Rescue helicopter from Taupo at the Ngaruroro River jetboat crash rescue scene west of Hastings on Saturday. Photo / Supplied
The Greenlea Rescue helicopter from Taupo at the Ngaruroro River jetboat crash rescue scene west of Hastings on Saturday. Photo / Supplied
Two people were airlifted to Hawke's Bay Hospital in Hastings on Saturday after a jetboat crash on a remote stretch of the Ngaruroro River.
Two other people were "recovered" but did not need medical attention in the late-morning crash in which the jetboat was reported to have flipped, police said.
Police and St John Ambulance were notified of the crash at about 11.30am, and a Police Search and Rescue operation was mounted on the river south of the intersection of Whanawhana and Kohatunui roads and about 50km west of Hastings by road.
With the Lowe Corporation Hawke's Bay Rescue Helicopter on another mission at the time, a Greenlea Rescue Helicopter flew from Taupo and the two injured men, understood to be each aged over 50, were taken to hospital in Hastings.
Few other details were available early today but police said the boat had flipped on the river, from which it was recovered at about 2.15pm.
The Hawke's Bay District Health Board reported yesterday afternoon that one of the men, aged in the 50s, was in a serious condition in Hawke's Bay Hospital.
