Busy weekend for rescue helicopter

The Taupo-based Greenlea Rescue Helicopter were called to help a Danish woman in her 70s who slipped while descending Mt Ruapehu.

An injured hiker, motorbike rider and mountainbiker were needing rescuing by the Taupo-based Greenlea rescue helicopter during the weekend.

A Danish woman in her 70s slipped and injured her ankle while walking down Mt Ruapehu on Saturday. She was flown to Rotorua Hospital.

The woman was with a group who all appeared to be well prepared and seasoned hikers, a helicopter statement said.

Ruapehu Alpine Rescue Organisation (RARO) member Andy Hoyle helped the helicopter crew and the National Park Police to evacuate the injured woman because of the remote location and the inhospitable terrain.

Greenlea helicopter were alerted to a motorbike rider just before lunch yesterday who had injured himself about 15km into the the 42nd traverse trial in the Central Plateau.

The man who was on a multiple day trail ride with friends fell and was unable to continue.

"Helicopter crew were quickly able to spot one of the injured mans friends who had positioned himself on a high point in one of the few open areas to signal the helicopter. The rider was then able to lead the helicopter further along the trail to the crash scene which was almost hidden from above due to trees," pilot Nat Every said.

"With a very limited number of landing areas near the trail, the helicopters winch was used to evacuate the man who was then flown to a near by staging area before being transported to Rotorua Hospital."

Just before leaving Rotorua Hospital for the return flight to Taupo, a helicopter retrieval was requested from the Whakarewarewa forest.

"With the Greenlea helicopter basically overhead at the time, it was a matter of only a few minutes before an Intensive care paramedic was able to treat the injured mountain biker," Mr Every said.

The woman in her 30s was flown to Rotorua Hospital.