Waikato Westpac Helicopter rescues man shot while hunting in Tongariro Forest

A man who suffered gunshot wounds while hunting in Tongariro Forest needed to be extracted by winch before being transported to hospital.

A police spokesperson told the Waikato Herald the incident was reported at 10.50am on Saturday morning.

“Police received a report a person had been shot while hunting near Ketetahi,” the spokesperson said.

“The man was transported to hospital with gunshot wounds and is currently in a stable condition.”

The spokesperson said police enquiries are ongoing.

”Police are speaking to a second person and are not seeking anyone else in relation to the incident.”

According to a Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter spokesperson, a crew was dispatched to Ketetahi, Tongariro Forest after a male in his 30s “sustained serious injuries while hunting”.

“Due to the remote location, the patient required extraction via winch,” the spokesperson said.

“The patient was treated on scene by the onboard critical care flight paramedic before being swiftly flown to Waikato Hospital for further treatment.”

A Hato Hone St John spokesperson said emergency services were notified of the incident at 10.44am on Saturday and responded with one helicopter.

“One patient was airlifted to Waikato Hospital in a critical condition,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson referred further inquiries to the Rescue Coordination Centre.

Maryana Garcia is a Hamilton-based reporter covering breaking news in Waikato. She previously wrote for the Rotorua Daily Post and Bay of Plenty Times.