KEY POINTS:
A New Zealand policeman received a serious gash to his leg when attacked by a machete-wielding gang in the Solomon Islands yesterday morning.
The attack came when constable Chris Renata, from Auckland, had almost finished his service in the Solomon Islands. He had told friends through his Facebook page how excited he was about coming home.
One update read: "Chris can't wait to get out of the jungle and smash it up!!!!". That was quickly followed by: "Correction, I'm sorry that I haven't been able to contact anybody due to no computer access. However now I'm on the home stretch and will be charging in NZ!!"
But while on a jungle patrol 4km from his police base in the remote village of Avu Avu, on the isolated southern coast of Guadalcanal, Mr Renata was attacked by a band of machete-wielding men.
Travelling alone on a quad bike, he had arrived at a tiny jungle village. He wandered around on foot and was leaving its medical centre when he noticed a group of six men armed with machetes.
Knowing he was too heavily outnumbered to fight, he attempted to flee the village on the quad bike, Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands' (Ramsi) public affairs manager Mary Louise O'Callaghan told the Herald last night.
It was at that point Mr Renata received the "pretty nasty gash" to his leg, Ms O'Callaghan said. The former North Harbour basketball representative was able to use capsicum spray on his attackers before escaping on the bike back to Avu Avu.
From there he was airlifted to Ramsi's medical facility in Honiara.
His leg was operated on in the early afternoon, and Mr Renata was last night in a stable condition and expected to make a full recovery, Ms O'Callaghan said.
Solomon Islands' acting commissioner of police, Johnson Siapu, last night called the attack "cowardly" and said he had ordered an immediate investigation.
"We will be making a concerted effort to locate the offenders as quickly as possible. Detectives from the Serious Crime Squad are being deployed to assist with the investigation."
Police believed the attack was led by outlaw Alphonseus Toghovotu, who is wanted for a 1999 murder in the same area, he said.
Superintendent Stu Wildon of the International Support Group at Wellington's national police headquarters said Mr Renata had not been the sole officer stationed at Avu Avu.
The other officer was safe, and would soon be joined by Mr Renata's replacement.
"Police reinforcements and military support have been sent to the area to search for and apprehend the offenders," Mr Wildon said.
"Most importantly, we are relieved that Constable Renata's injuries are not more serious than they are."
