Helicopter rushes to cruise ship after passenger falls ill

Chopper crew flew to Great Barrier Island with extra fuel before flying to ship, which was about 150 miles (241km) offshore. Photo / Flightradar24.com

A rescue helicopter has rushed to a medical emergency on board a 600-passenger cruise ship about 150 miles off New Zealand's coast.

The Astor cruise ship, operated by Cruise & Maritime Voyages, was making a beeline for Auckland from French Polynesia when the incident occurred.

The rescue helicopter was called out from Whangarei about 8am after a cruise ship passenger had fallen ill, Northland Emergency Trust Services general manager Vanessa Furze said.

It is not known what the illness was.

The chopper crew flew to Great Barrier Island with extra fuel before flying to the ship, which was about 150 miles (241km) offshore, Ms Furze said.

The helicopter had reached the cruise ship and was flying back by 11.30am.

It is understood the ill passenger was on board and would be flown to Auckland Hospital.

"It flew from the Whangarei base and looks like it stopped at Great Barrier, which is probably where they emptied all the fuel into the helicopter to do the long haul back out," Ms Furze said.

"It's tracking back now."

Astor - a 579ft cruise ship registered to the Bahamas - is expected to arrive in Auckland about 7pm tonight.