Six injured after boat hits rocks

Six people were injured when a boat they were on struck rocks in Marlborough's Kenepuru Sound last night.

The Wellington-based Westpac Rescue Helicopter was called to the scene at about 10.30pm and found all nine on board had been helped ashore by other boaties near the Portage Resort Hotel.

Helicopter crew chief Dave Greenberg said in a statement this morning four of the injured suffered from concussion and all of those requiring treatment suffered head and facial injuries.

Four were transported to Wairau Hospital in Blenheim in the helicopter, while the two most seriously injured were flown to Wellington Hospital.

Both were reported to be stable but likely to need further treatment at the Hutt Hospital plastics unit.

A spokeswoman from the resort said the boat was ferrying people to shore from a larger boat and appeared to have got disoriented.

The pilot may have been aiming for a light but had not seen rocks in between.

She said the resort had staff on duty who were trained in first aid and tended to the injured while emergency services were called.

A salvage team was due to refloat the boat this morning.

- NZPA