Teen falls 50m on Mt Ngauruhoe

Youthtown Trust Rescue Helicopter

STEEP SLIP: Rescue services prepare to evacuate the injured tramper to hospital.

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A teenager was flown to hospital coughing up blood after tumbling 50 metres down Mt Ngauruhoe, causing a gravel slide which then landed on him.

Youthtown Trust Rescue Helicopter pilot Hendry de Waal said the 16-year-old, of Auckland, was on a day tramp with friends across the central North Island's Tongariro Alpine Crossing.

But as they climbed the northern side of Mt Ngauruhoe about 9.30am yesterday, the teenager slipped and fell 50m, Mr de Waal said.

"He was about halfway up when he fell. It's a 45-degree angle slope he went down. Then a lot of rocks fell afterwards, hitting him.

"He was talking but was in a lot of pain and coughing up blood."

The teenager suffered head, neck and shoulder injuries and was airlifted to Waikato Hospital.

A hospital spokeswoman said this morning he was being observed in one of the wards and was in a stable condition.

The crossing is considered the best one-day trek in New Zealand and is listed in many publications as in the top 10 day treks in the world. It spans the length of Mt Tongariro (18.5 kilometres) and takes about seven to nine hours. It is popular during summer.

A side trip up Mt Ngauruhoe takes three hours.

At least two people have died attempting the crossing.

- © Fairfax NZ News