Woman still in critical condition after fall onto rocks

She was pulled from the river unconscious and a St John paramedic "incubated" her, taking over her breathing using medical apparatus. Photo / File

A woman injured after falling off a steep track onto rocks remains in a critical condition this afternoon.

The woman fell four to five metres from the track, landing on her head in the Boxing Day accident.

The Australian woman, 23, was walking with her boyfriend in the Kauaeranga Valley in the southern Coromandel Peninsula.

Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust crew members winched their medic about 24m down to the woman, then winched the stretcher down.

The medic and the injured woman were then placed on the stretcher and winched back up to the chopper.

The crew then had to land nearby to get the patient securely inside the helicopter.

The young woman was then flown to Waikato Hospital in a critical condition. This afternoon, she remained in a critical condition in the hospital's intensive care unit.