Three people injured when their car went over a bank into the Waioeka River south of Opotiki this morning are now in Tauranga Hospital.

The 26-year-old Gisborne woman and two children were airlifted from Opotiki Airfield and arrived at Tauranga Hospital about 4pm.
The woman is transported from the rescue helicopter to Tauranga Hospital. Photo: Ross Brown.

A hospital spokesperson says the woman is currently in a critical condition, and the two children, aged eight and four, are in a comfortable condition.

The trio was lifted out of the riverbed by ropes and driven more than 30km to Opotiki by ambulance as weather conditions prevented the Tauranga-based Trustpower TECT rescue helicopter and Rotorua's BayTrust rescue helicopter from flying into the gorge.

Trustpower TECT helicopter pilot Liam Brettkelly says the car carrying the three left the road, flipped and landed in the river on its wheels.

The woman received critical head injuries as a result of the crash, and the two children also had 'serious head injuries”.

Police and firefighters responded to the crash after receiving a call reporting the car in the river about 30km from Opotiki at 11am today.

The woman was found to be unconscious in the car, partly submerged in the river and was extracted by firefighters. The children had managed to escape from the car.