The Order of St John has decided to end its Auckland rescue helicopter service.
St John national chief executive James Wood said the service would stop within two weeks, after three years of operation.
Mr Wood said money saved would allow the order to direct more money into its other services. It would continue to provide paramedics for rescue helicopter services.
Rival service Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust will now add St John's role of providing emergency transport for sick people under a Health Funding Authority contract to its service of carrying accident victims under an ACC contract.
Trust chairman Malcolm Beattie said the three years of competition had been frustrating for two good organisations operating in a city where only one air ambulance service was viable.
- NZPA
St John bows out of helicopter rescues
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