Kayaker suffers serious injuries after collision with DoC jetboat on Whanganui River

The incident happened near Pipiriki. Photo / File

An investigation is under way after a kayaker was seriously injured in a collision with a Department of Conservation jet boat on the Whanganui River.

DoC's Whanganui base were informed of the incident at 10.12am on Wednesday with an ambulance and the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter arriving on the scene shortly afterwards.

St John confirmed the incident and that the kayaker suffered serious chest injuries.

Whanganui Hospital said that the 56-year-old Auckland man is now in a stable condition.

According to DoC's North Island operations manager Damian Coutts, the two DoC staff inside the jet boat were on their way from Pipiriki to Mangapurua Landing when the incident occurred just north of Puraroto Caves.

He could not comment on the cause of the accident.

DoC said it had been in contact with the family of the injured man.

"Our thoughts are with him and his family at this difficult time."

The incident will be subject to a full DoC investigation and has been reported to both Police and the Maritime Safety Authority.

Police said that the investigation now sits with Maritime NZ, but were assisting the investigation.