Two airlifted off Mt Ruapehu ski field

Two people were airlifted off Turoa ski field after accidents. Photo / File

Two people were airlifted to hospital from Mt Ruapehu after suffering injuries in ski-slope accidents.

A 35-year-old Auckland woman was yesterday injured when snowboarding, while a Wellington man in his 20s suffered head injuries when skiing.

Both incidents happened on Turoa ski field in the early afternoon.

The Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter was called to the mountain and took first the injured woman and then the man to Whanganui Hospital, which is 20 minutes away by chopper.

Helicopter base manager and pilot Chris Moody said the man was stable enough to remain at the mountain medical centre while the woman was flown first.

"They had been recovered off the slopes by ski patrol and one of them had a badly broken arm I think. The skier had head injuries," he said.

"They were both stable, but reasonably serious."

Mr Moody said there were blustery conditions for the flights and a bit of turbulence.

The helicopter returned to Palmerston North about 4 or 5pm.