The Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to the Hakarimata Summit Track in Ngaruawahia twice on Tuesday 20 December, in quick succession.
At approximately 4pm, the rescue helicopter was dispatched to airlift an asthmatic woman, who was located near the helipad at the top of the Hakarimata Summit Track.
The rescue helicopter was then dispatched again at 5.30pm, for woman who had suffered a head injury after a 5 metre fall. The woman was winched from the the dam, approximately 1/3 of the way to the summit of the Hakarimata Summit Track, using the NZCT Rescue Winch.
Both woman were airlifted to Waikato Hospital for treatment.
Then at 7pm, the rescue helicopter was dispatched to Matamata for a 90-year-old man with a medical condition requiring rapid transport to Waikato Hospital.