Tourist with broken leg rescued off rocks

A tourist has been winched off the rocks at Leisure Island with a broken leg.

The Trustpower TECT Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to Mount Maunganui at 5.15pm, said base manager and pilot Liam Brettkelly.

The Port of Tauranga rescue winch was used to get the young woman, aged in her twenties, off some rocks on Leisure Island.

Her lower leg was fractured and the woman could not speak English, Mr Brettkelly said.

The winch was used to airlift the woman to shore were she was transported to hospital by St John Ambulance.

The woman was injured while walking along the rocks, he said.

The helicopter was called out as it was rough for a boat and there was a bit of a swell, he said.