On the morning of Tuesday 8 November, just after 5am, the Trustpower TECT Rescue Helicopter was dispatched Waihi Beach, to the scene of a car that had left the road and collided with a power pole. The front seat passenger, an 18-year-old woman was trapped in the car and had received suspected pelvic and back injuries.
The Waihi fire brigade cut the woman free from the vehicle. She was stabilised by St John medics before being flown to Tauranga Hospital in a serious condition. The driver of the car received minor head injuries in the crash and also flown to Tauranga Hospital.