Today the Tauranga based Trustpower TECT and Rotorua Bay trust rescue helicopters were called to Opotiki where a car had
crashed into the river in the Waioeka gorge.
Poor weather in the gorge prevented the helicopters landing at the scene so the helicopters waited at Opotiki and the
patients were brought out to the helicopters.
The car with a woman and two young children in it left the road, flipped and landed in the river on its wheels. The
woman, a 26 year old from Gisborne received critical head injuries
as a result of the crash, the two children aged 4 and 8 both received serious head injuries. All patients were flown to
Tauranga hospital.