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An Auckland high school student is in a serious but stable condition after falling eight metres and landing on another pupil in a popular rock climbing area in the Waikato yesterday.
Callum Graham of Kristin School in Albany is in an orthopaedic ward in Waikato Hospital with a fractured wrist and a fractured lumbar.
The 17-year-old was understood to be climbing a rock wall when he fell near Castle Rock on to another student on farmland at Wharepapa South about 35km south of Hamilton.
Callum's father, Bevan Graham, told the Herald his son was in a lot of pain.
"Like all these things, any fall like that will take a lot of recovery. It will probably take weeks. It's not good."
He would not be drawn on whether there was adequate supervision for his son at the time of the accident.
"I am sure that all those avenues will be explored in time but let's not jump to any conclusions."
The boy Callum landed on, also 17, was taken by ambulance to Waikato Hospital with a sprained ankle but was discharged shortly after.
Westpac Waikato air ambulance spokesman Grant Bremner said both students, who were on a school camp when the accident happened, were lucky to have escaped serious harm.
"One came in with a bit of back pain but I think he got away with it largely. Someone who falls eight metres is usually pretty broken up but he's actually in very good nick considering the fall," he said.
A man who lives nearby to Castle Rock said the area, which is popular with abseilers and rock climbers, often had corporate groups and school groups in the warmer summer months.
Rock walls in the area were "challenging" but most people who took them on were experienced, he said.
He saw the accident happen shortly after midday yesterday but thought Callum and his friend should make a full recovery.
"It was unfortunate but he should be alright, his friend should be too."
Ted Very from Kristin School said an investigation would be launched into the accident. It is unclear at this stage whether Occupational Safety and Health will be involved.
The boys were part of a specialist outdoor education group and had climbing and abseiling experience.
