A Tauranga man is in hospital in a moderate condition after falling from an IRB and injuring his spine.

Ambulance personnel prepare the Tauranga man, who injured his spine after falling out of an IRB, before loading him into the helicopter. Photo: TrustPower TECT Rescue Helicopter.

About 12.30 today, the Tauranga-based TrustPower TECT Rescue Helicopter was called to Whangamata where a 22-year-old Tauranga man fell out of an IRB as it came ashore during a surf carnival.

Rescue helicopter pilot Liam Brettkelly says the man injured his spine in the incident and was stabilised at the scene by St John Ambulance staff before being flown to Tauranga Hospital.

Meanwhile, an 11-year-old girl is in hospital after she fell from a fence and onto a stake which impaled her stomach.

Emergency services were called to the scene at Mangakino about 12.30pm today.

A Greenlea Rescue Helicopter spokesperson says the girl's injuries turned out not serious, but she was flown from Mangakino to Rotorua Hospital because ambulance staff were unsure how far the stake had gone in to her skin.