A thrill-seeker who injured his back while tobogganing down giant sand dunes at Te Henga (Bethells Beach) had to be rescued by helicopter.
The man was surfing the steep 50m dunes on the beach, west of Auckland, at around 5.45pm yesterday when he fell off a 2-3m ledge and landed heavily on his lower back.
The Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter was called in to the remote location to fly the patient to Auckland City Hospital with moderate back injuries.