Helicopter rescues three | Hawkes Bay News | Local News in Hawkes Bay

The Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter was kept busy with three rescues yesterday.

In the first of two quad-bike accidents, the service was called to a forestry block near Tangoio, just north of Napier, about 3.30pm.

It's understood three people were riding on the quad up a track when the bike flipped after trying to go up a small bank.

The male driver, whose age was unknown, suffered lower back injuries as a result and was flown to Hawke's Bay Hospital for further treatment.

About 8pm, the helicopter responded to a rural property on the coast east of Pongaroa after a 17-year-old farm student broke his leg while riding a quad bike. He was flown to hospital for further treatment.

Meanwhile, about mid-afternoon yesterday, the rescue helicopter was called to a near drowning incident at Ocean Beach. An 18-year-old female was helped from the water after getting into difficulty. She was flown to Hawke's Bay Hospital.

Last week the helicopter service had just one call-out, to Tangoio, north of Napier.