Boy seriously injured in 20m cliff fall at Mt Aspiring National Park

An injured boy arrives by rescue helicopter in Dunedin last night. Photo / Kerrie Waterworth

A boy is recovering in Dunedin Hospital after suffering serious injuries in a 20m fall down a cliff at the side of a track in Mt Aspiring National Park yesterday afternoon.

Emergency services were called to the Rob Roy Glacier walking track, 54km west of Wanaka, off the Wanaka-Mt Aspiring Rd, at 2.35pm.

A police spokeswoman said a search and rescue team was deployed from Wanaka and a rescue helicopter was dispatched from Te Anau to fly the boy to Dunedin Hospital.

A couple from Noosa, in Australia, who were on the track at the time said the boy had been hiking with his father and brother.

The group was about halfway through the four- to five-hour return walk when the incident occurred.

The group told the couple the child was standing near the edge of a narrow precipitous section of track when it gave way and he fell about 20m into a ravine.

His father was able to reach him.

The boy appeared to be aged about 8 to 10, the couple said.

He was being treated by a search and rescue team member and comforted by his father.

A police statement said the boy received serious injuries in the fall.