A man in his 40s has died after yesterday's helicopter crash near Waiouru.
He was in a critical condition in Hawke's Bay Hospital's Intensive Care Unit as a result of injuries he suffered in the helicopter crash.
The family have asked for privacy but said: "He was a hugely loved husband, father and brother, and much loved by all his wider family and friends. His death is a tragic loss not only to his family but the wider farming community, and to all those who knew and loved him."
![The main rotor gearbox was separated from the wreckage. Photo/Greenlea Rescue Helicopter](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/KXMVUW3UFQQ7DCD6HRZO3NCKYA.jpg?auth=088ff397b4b1683aa5dffc811737f1ecc8304ee78302afaf6ca6980e071af39b&width=16&height=22&quality=70&smart=true)
Two men, one in his 40s and the other in his 30s, remain in a serious but stable condition.