The crew from St John weren’t the only ones to meet the Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter team when they responded to a trauma at Ruatoria on Saturday afternoon.

The team’s regular landing site was packed as Ngati Porou East Coast Rugby whanau had gathered for a big day of Heartland Championship games at Whakarua Park.

Once on site, the pilot and crewman offered local tamariki a quick tour of the helicopter while the paramedic treated two patients, who were flown in stable conditions to Gisborne Hospital.

Other missions for last week included two Monday flights to Tikitiki, a trauma at 7am and a mid-afternoon medical event. Both patients were flown in stable conditions to Gisborne Hospital.

That same day (1.40pm) the Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter had also flown over the Mangapapa area in response to a Personal Locator Beacon activation, and were stood down once the Rescue Co-Ordination Centre confirmed it was an accidental activation.

As well as the call-out to Ruatoria on Saturday the team also responded to a medical event at Tuai (3.20pm), with the patient flown in a stable condition to Gisborne Hospital.