The region’s rescue helicopter team started last week with a maintenance flight to Hawke’s Bay and ended it with bad weather that hampered flying.

But the Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter still managed a schedule of five rescue missions from last Monday.

At 5.30pm on the Monday, the team responded to a medical event at Whakaki. The patient, in a critical condition, was flown to Gisborne Hospital.

While the aircraft was in Hastings for maintenance the region was covered by affiliated, out-of-zone rescue helicopters.

Upon their return, the team carried out a hectic run of missions on Thursday.

It started with an 11.56am call to a medical event in Ruatoria and continued with a motor vehicle accident, also at Ruatoria (1.44pm), a medical event at Tokomaru Bay (3.45pm) and another at Tauwhareparae (8.22pm).

All four patients were flown in stable condition to Gisborne Hospital.