Person airlifted to hospital after serious crash in Northland

Emergency services are at the scene of a serious crash on Matauri Bay Rd, in the Far North.

Passersby spent more than 20-minutes performing lifesaving CPR on a motorist believed to have had a suspected medical event prior to crashing in the Far North.

A vehicle went off Matauri Bay Rd, north of Kāeo, around 9.15am on Tuesday.

Members of the public first on the scene swiftly responded to help the vehicle's sole occupant.

Sergeant Ryan Gray, of Northland Police, said they performed CPR on the man for more than 20 minutes and only stopped once paramedics arrived.

He hailed their actions as potentially lifesaving as the man was eventually airlifted in a critical condition to Whangārei Hospital.

Two St John ambulances were dispatched to the scene alongside the Northland Rescue Helicopter.

The road was initially reduced to one lane for a brief period but is now open to motorists again.

The Serious Crash Unit was called in and was carrying out a scene examination.