Man helicoptered to hospital after 10m cliff plunge in Waitakere Ranges

A man who plunged 10 metres into a stream in the Waitakere ranges was recued on foot by a high-angle rescue team and then helicoptered to hospital. Photo / File

A man who plunged 10 metres off a cliff and into a stream in the Waitakere ranges is in hospital.

A police spokesperson says he was flown to hospital with moderate injuries after falling down a bank.

Search and Rescue teams were called in to help get the man out by foot.

A difficult rescue operation was underway in the Waitakere Ranges earlier after the person plunged from a stream 10m down a cliff.

Fire and Emergency said then that a high-angle rescue team was on a track in the west Auckland forest park trying to reach the person.

A police spokeswoman said search and rescue specialists used rope equipment to reach the stricken walker.

She said the terrain was proving difficult for rescuers to access the person who was lying injured down the bank.

The person had suffered moderate injuries in the fall.

Fire and Emergency northern communications shift manager Jaron Phillips said the incident, which happened on a track in the Goldie Bush Scenic Reserve, was being hampered by the terrain.

A helicopter was on standby but it was unlikely to be able to winch the person to safety.

Instead firefighters and search and rescue personnel needed to abseil down to the injured walker and carry the person out of the bush.