On Sunday night, the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to a remote area out the back of Tarawera for 3 patients that had been involved in a serious quad bike accident. The group was heading towards a remote hunting hut when one of the quad bikes with 3 people on board rolled down a cliff. All 3 patients were thrown about 40 metres down the cliff, sustaining moderate to serious injuries. The patients were in a rugged and isolated area, with steep cliffs and dense bush surrounding them.

As the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter, the Hawke’s Bay Rescue Helicopter, and the Hawke’s Bay LandSAR rescue teams arrived on the scene, they quickly assessed the patients' injuries and began stabilising them before extracting them up the cliff face. Both rescue helicopters were tasked with this critical task, working in tandem with the Hawke’s Bay LandSAR team to ensure safe transportation.

The patients were further transported on a quadbike 600 metres to the two rescue helicopters. The Hawke’s Bay Rescue Helicopter transported one patient, while the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter transported a male in his 50s and a male in his 40s to Hastings Hospital for further treatment.

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