The Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was dispatched in the early hours of Tuesday 18 July to the Te Toto Gorge track, on the seaward face of Mt Kariori, located to the south of Raglan.
A 40 year old male had been reported missing, since Sunday, and his vehicle had been located in the parking lot of the popular hiking trail. A search had been carried out on foot to no avail.
A search operation was initiated and the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter located the man quickly after initiating the aerial search. The helicopter team utilised night vision googles in the search.
He had apparently slipped off the track and fallen down a cliff, from where he unable to climb back up.
He was initially taken to the Raglan Police station, where he was treated for hypothermia and several cuts and scrapes. He was then flown by the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter to Waikato Hospital for further assessment.
Philips Rescue Helicopters,Westpac Rescue helicopter, Hamilton, Wednesday 3 May 2017. Photo: Stephen Barker/Barker Photography.©Philips Search & Rescue Trust
