A man riding an electric bike in the Karangahake Gorge had to be airlifted to hospital after hitting a stone wall overnight.
The man sustained head and shoulder injuries after he hit the wall while travelling through the tunnel on the Hauraki Rail Trail sometime before 7.15pm last night.
Auckland's Westpac Rescue Helicpoter airlifted a man to Waikato Hospital after he crashed in the Haurkai tunnel while riding a motorised bike last night. Photo: Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter
Emergency services were called to the scene and the man was treated on site by St John's ambulance personnel.
He was eventually stretchered out of the tunnel by ambulance staff, assisted by fire crew personnel from Paeroa.
Traffic was stopped in both directions on State Highway 2 for an hour to allow the Auckland Westpace Rescue Helicopter to land on the road in order to airlift the man out of the gorge.
The man was then flown to Waikato Hospital in a serious condition.
The Hauraki Rail Trail websites states the Karangahake tunnel is roughly 1.1km long and recommends cyclist and pedestrians use torches as it is 'lit but a little dark”.
It is carved out of solid rock and 'one million bricks” and was originally the Paeroa-Waihi railway line.
5 comments
acc
Posted on 14-01-2015 16:20 | By swt3
Yet another increase for bike riders. No doubt this will get added onto our Motorbike registrations.
Dead right swt3
Posted on 14-01-2015 17:28 | By s83cruiser
ACC only look at the fact that the vehicle had two wheels and that's all they want to know. The higher they can keep the motorbike accident Stat's the more they can justify ripping of the motorcycle fraternity. The whole ACC on motorbikes thing is a crock of the proverbial. Sad part is that ACC have gotten to the stage where they believe their own propaganda.
Got to get better, more efficient
Posted on 15-01-2015 07:37 | By Murray.Guy
While NOT unreasonably compromising safety authorities must develop a mind-set that doesn't unnecessarily and excessively disrupt our highways. An hours road closure suggests the pilot sat and waited in the middle of the highway when an adjacent off road area could have been used, timing the landing to match the arrival of the injured.
.
Posted on 15-01-2015 08:06 | By whatsinaname
i cannot understand why the man wasn't transported to either end of the tunnel. Where there are landing places for the helecopter rather than blocking the road for an hour. I may be wrong
Hope hes doing ok.
Posted on 15-01-2015 14:26 | By Smilarkie
This person was, as stated, in a "serious condition". To all you fools who are more worried about ACC and fact that they couldn't use the road for an hour I say, tough luck. Maybe we should start thinking of others a little more, and stop worring about stupid things like trying to drive past an accident. I hope that if you are hurt one day others show you some sympathy. Even if it was you own fault.
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