Fishermen rescued from deep gorge

Two injured fishermen were rescued from Makatote River on Saturday.

Two fishermen were in a deep and narrow gorge approximately 5km downstream of the Makatote Railway Viaduct on SH4 when one of them fell and injured his chest and ribs.

The Taupo Based Greenlea Rescue helicopter was dispatched to the lower reaches of the Makatote River.

Although the Rescue helicopter was unable to land, the men were hover loaded into the helicopter for an otherwise near impossible extraction from the river.

The injured man in his fifties was flown to Waikato hospital.