Woman survives 30m plunge onto rocks

A woman has survived a 30 metre plunge into an area marked by jagged rocks at Mt Ruapehu. File photo / NZ Herald

A woman was "extremely lucky" to survive a 30 metre plunge into an area marked by jagged rocks at Mt Ruapehu in the Central North Island.

Police said the fall happened at about 8:55pm yesterday when the 29-year-old Dutch woman was tobogganing with a man along an icy track.

The pair slipped and she fell about 30m into the Happy Valley beginner area at the Whakapapa skifield, police said.

Her friend managed to stop his fall by clinging to rocks and clamber up to raise the alarm.

A team from the Ruapehu Alpine Rescue Organisation and Ruapehu Alpine Lifts staff helped rescue the woman, who was airlifted to Rotorua Hospital for tests.

"She is described as being in a comfortable condition and miraculously hasn't broken any bones," police said.

National Park constable Conrad Smith said the woman was extremely lucky to be alive.

"Somehow she managed to land in a window of snow surrounded by jagged rocks. A metre in any direction and it could have been a very different story, and if her friend hadn't managed to stop his fall there would have been no-one around to raise the alarm."

Mr Smith said it the incident was a warning about the danger of tobogganing after dark in icy conditions.

- HERALD ONLINE