Busy Christmas period for rescue chopper crews

The rescue chopper waits at Port Waikato during one of its 21 callouts for the Christmas period. Photo/supplied

The two Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopters have been kept busy over the Christmas period, with multiple medical emergencies, injuries while out on walks, and a man who shot himself in the leg.

The crew flew to Parakai on Boxing Day after a man shot his own leg.

The patient had been hunting on a farm in an isolated area with a friend, and was stowing the gun in a ute when it went off.

He had thought the firearm was unloaded, a rescue chopper spokeswoman said.

He was flown to hospital in a serious condition.

Callouts on Tuesday included winching a woman in her 60s off an isolated walking track after she slipped and fractured her foot, picking up a 19-year-old woman who injured her foot at the summit of Mt Karioi, and helping a 16-year-old boy who accidentally ran into a concrete step and injured his leg at a camp.

On Christmas Eve the crew were sent for a 4-year-old boy suffering fainting spells. He was flown to Thames Hospital in a moderate condition.

On Christmas Day a woman on a boat 50km offshore from Kaipara had to winched off and taken to hospital in a serious condition.

The woman, in her 20s, was suffering a medical condition.

The crews attended 21 callouts over December 23-27, including two drownings.