Man flown to hospital after injuring his hand in planer accident

A man was injured after falling off a roof. Photo / Supplied

A man suffered a critical injury when his hand went through a planer in Thames this morning.

The man, in his 30s, was flown by the Auckland and Coromandel Westpac Rescue Helicopter, based at Whitianga for the summer, to Waikato Hospital just after 7am.

Crewman Aaron Knight said the man had reached into the machine to adjust something and it got caught about 6.50am.

"A workmate must have wrapped some towels around his hand to stem the bleeding and then ambulance [staff] arrived and applied a tourniquet."

Paramedics on board the helicopter bandaged the hand again at Thames Hospital and administered pain relief before flying to Hamilton.

"We then flew him to Waikato Hospital in a serious condition. Despite the severity of the patient's injury he was in good spirits and was still able to crack a few jokes."

Yesterday the Whitianga crew took a man in his 50s from Thames to Waikato Hospital in a serious condition after he fell from a roof.

The man suffered a possible pelvic fracture and spinal injury as a result of the fall.