Teen survives 20m fall off rocks

A teenage boy had to be winched off rocks by helicopter after he fell while climbing the Taheke Falls in Northland.

St John Northland operations manager Tony Devanney said the 16-year-old had been climbing the falls at the end of Hoban Rd, 14km northeast of Whangarei, when slipped and fell onto rocks at about 5.20pm yesterday.

Northland Emergency Services Trust operations manager, Dean Voelkerling said the Northland Electricity helicopter had to winch the boy off the rocks. "We flew down and, because we couldn't land on the rocks, we winched a paramedic down to the scene to stabilise the boy and then winched him up."

Mr Voelkerling and Mr Devanney said they were not sure how far the boy had fallen but the Advocate understands it may have been up to 20 metres.

"He wasn't injured too badly. He had a dislocated shoulder," said Mr Devanney.

The 16-year-old was transported to Whangarei Hospital in a stable condition.