A mountain biker who seriously injured his back had to wait for about two hours in a remote area of the Bay of Plenty until help arrived.
The Trustpower TECT Rescue Helicopter was called to the Oropi mountain bike track at 3pm yesterday after a 37-year-old man fell and suffered a serious back injury.
A rescue helicopter spokesman said because the man had fallen in such a remote area of the track he had to lay there for about two hours until other mountain bike riders arrived and called 111.
"The rescue helicopter was able to land in an area close to where the patient was," the spokesman said.
The man was stabilised at the scene and flown to Middlemore Hospital for treatment.
