Woman trampled by horse
Local rescue helicopters had a busy weekend, attending seven emergencies including a woman who was trampled by a horse and a man injured in a rugby league match.
A 39-year-old woman was trampled near Wharepuhunga yesterday, about 30km west of Tokoroa.
A Youthtown rescue helicopter was called to the site where the woman was airlifted to Waikato Hospital with rib injuries following a trail ride with friends.
Six other emergencies included a rugby league injury near Reporoa, a hiking accident in the Kaimanawa Ranges, a quad bike collision in Opotiki and a motocross accident at the Pirini Trial Ride event.
The Rotorua-based BayTrust rescue helicopter was sent to assist a man on Saturday afternoon who received leg injuries during a game of rugby league near Reporoa.
The 35-year-old Putaruru man was airlifted to Rotorua Hospital after ambulance officers called the rescue helicopter.
The man is in a comfortable condition.
On the same day a Wellington woman was winched to safety by Taupo's Youthtown rescue helicopter after injuring her leg in the Kaimanawa Ranges.
The 54-year-old was a chaperone for a group of Ranger Guides on the first day of a four-day tramping trip.
Base manager Nat Every said the helicopter was unable to land due to tall trees but the crew managed to lower a paramedic down a 38m cable to the injured woman.
She was lifted to safety and flown to Rotorua Hospital.
A 15-year-old girl suffered serious lower leg injuries in a collision between two quad bikes near Opotiki, also on Saturday.
The girl, believed to be local, was part of a group riding quad bikes on a beach near the town when two of the bikes crashed.
She was taken by ambulance to Opotiki airfield then flown by the TrustPower TECT rescue helicopter to Tauranga Hospital, where she was in a moderate condition.
Yesterday, the BayTrust rescue helicopter was called to Pongakawa to help an injured motocross rider at the Pirini Trail Ride event.
The 29-year-old Papamoa man fell of his motorcycle and suffered a broken leg and dislocated knee.
Two St John paramedics flew to the scene with the helicopter and were greeted by Tauranga St John paramedics who had stabilised the man's injuries.
He was then airlifted to Tauranga Hospital in a comfortable position.
On Friday night, the Youthtown rescue helicopter conducted a search of Lake Taupo's inner bays after a resident saw four parachute flares set off.
The resident alerted the Coastguard who called in the helicopter for assistance.
Mr Every said his crew covered a large area with night vision equipment but did not find anything.
Yesterday, the Taupo crew were also called to assist a man injured when the quad bike he was riding flipped and rolled.
Mr Every said the man was sore and had trouble breathing so was flown to Taumarunui Hospital.
