Photo: RNZ / Tom Taylor
Rescue teams are thanking an anonymous member of the public who helped save a paraglider's life in Auckland.
Police said the paraglider was in a serious but stable condition at Auckland Hospital after falling out of the sky at Muriwai Beach on Thursday.
Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopters paramedic Rob Gemmell, who was suspended from a wire to rescue the injured man, said he was lucky to be alive.
"I think he was, firstly, lucky that he survived the fall... Secondly he was lucky that his fall was witnessed by members of the public, and then I think he was lucky that we were able to execute the rescue.
"Had the rescue been far more technical, I think he would have been on the ledge for quite a long time."
The man was critically injured from falling a "significant height," Gemmell said.
"What we call multi-system trauma, injuries to large areas of his body. It was very austere terrain, vertical cliffs and small ledges. We were fortunate we were able to get the helicopter into a relatively overhead position and execute a winch rescue."
He said the rescue was assisted by a brave member of the public who scaled the rocky terrain.
"[I'd like to] shout out the individual member of the public who managed to scramble his way up to where this patient was and assist me. I think it [took] an enormous degree of bravery to get up there and do what he did, and probably an equally incredible feat to get himself down from that site after we winched the patient off."
But Gemmell did not have time on the day to thank the stranger or ask for his name.
"Whoever the mysterious member of the public is, I'd like to publicly thank him for his efforts."