Emergency services rescue paraglider trapped on Te Mata Peak
A paraglider who executed an emergency landing on Te Mata Peak has been winched to safety and taken to Hawke's Bay Hospital.
Emergency services were called to the incident on the riverside of Te Mata Peak just after 4.40pm this afternoon.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand Hawke's Bay Area Manager Ken Cooper said the rescue they carried out was "well practised" by their line rescue team, made up of specialist firefighters.
Along with the specialist team, crews from the Havelock North Volunteer Fire Brigade and the Hastings Fire Brigade assisted in the rescue.
"We have a tactical plan for that scenario which we put into effect and everyone knows everyone's part in the plan, so it's the Hawke's Bay Rescue Helicopter, FENZ and St John Ambulance."
In this case, the easiest rescue was by helicopter, Cooper said.
"They winched the person to safety and transported the person to hospital."
Hawke's Bay Rescue Helicopter Trust general manager Ian Wilmot confirmed a helicopter had attended the incident.
He says the paraglider is a man in his 60s.
A St John Ambulance spokeswoman said the patient was taken to Hawke's Bay Hospital in a serious condition.
