Sand boarder choppered to hospital with back injury

Westpac helicopter rescues tourist who injured her back at Te Paki sand dunes. Photo/Supplied

An adventurous tourist was choppered to hospital this afternoon after injuring her back while tobogganing down a sand dune in Northland.

Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter crew were called to pick up the 18-year-old from Te Paki Stream near Ninety Mile Beach. The woman was taken to Whangarei Hospital.

Westpac helicopter rescues tourist at Te Paki sand dunes. Photo/Supplied

The sand dunes near Cape Reinga cover some 7 square kilometres of Department of Conservation land. They are one of the top activities for tourists in the area, according to Lonely Planet.