The Wellington-based Westpac Rescue Helicopter flew a father and son who

were injured during a mountain bike event in the Wairarapa this morning.

 

The pair were taking part in "The Big Coast", a two day mountain bike event.

 

Just after 10 am organisers of the race informed ambulance communications

that they had a nine year old boy who was injured when he came off his bike,

across his handlebars.  The injury occurred near Ocean Beach, on the south

coast of the Wairarapa.

 

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter, with two Wellington Free Ambulance paramedics

onboard arrived at the scene at about 1025 am.

 

The nine year old Upper Hutt boy was suffering from moderate abdominal

injuries from hitting his handlebars at speed.  His 42 year old father was

suffering an injured arm.  Both fell off their bikes when they lost control

moving from a sealed surface to a gravel path.

 

"The event organisers had everything well under control" says Dave

Greenberg, Westpac Rescue Helicopter crewman.  "A medical team was caring

for the boy and they were able to give us a GPS position which let us fly

directly to the scene".

 

The pair were flown to the Wellington Hospital Emergency Department where