Two rescue helicopters were required to airlift patients to hospital after a car rolled on the East Cape yesterday.

The Rotorua-based BayTrustRescue Helicopter was dispatched to Te Araroa at around 12pm.

Base Manager Ben Fry says a car carrying five people had left the road and rolled down a bank.

'Due to the poor weather conditions two local rescue helicopters were unable to reach the crash scene,” says Ben.

'However, the BayTrust Rescue Helicopter made it through, calling in the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter for further support.”

The two rescue helicopters carried two patients each to Waikato Hospital.

The BayTrust Rescue Helicopter then returned to its Rotorua base utlising night vision googles.