4 Jan 2014

Napier crash patient being shifted to Christchurch

3:14 pm on 4 January 2014

One of eight people injured when their van plunged off the Napier to Taupo road on Thursday is being transferred to the spinal unit in Christchurch on Saturday.

Eight family members were travelling from Auckland to Hawke's Bay when their van went off the road near Te Haroto and dropped 20 metres down a steep gully. Five are from Australia.

A man, 30, who was critically injured will be flown to Christchurch Hospital for further treatment.

Seven others, including a baby and two other children, are all in a serious or stable condition in Hawke's Bay Hospital.

The condition of the baby has improved and he is now listed as serious but stable.

A girl, 12, is in a stable condition in the children's ward and another girl, aged eight, (who was previously listed as aged nine) is in a serious but stable condition in the high dependency unit.

A man, 33, (previously listed as in his 40s) is in a stable condition in a general ward and a woman, 35, (previously listed as 33) is in a serious but stable condition in the high dependency unit.

Two men aged 23 (one previously listed as in his 30s, the other as in his 20s) are both in a stable condition in a general ward.