TE NUPEPA O TE TAIRAWHITI WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2020 HOME-DELIVERED $1.90, RETAIL $2.20 PAGE 7 GOOD DOWN IN KAIKOURA DEEDS FOR TWO DEAD, THREE HURT PAGE 6 CHRISTMAS PAGE 3 SLIP, SLOP, SLAP AND SCAN MODERATE INJURY: The pilot of a Robinson R44 helicopter that crashed at Mahia this morning was flown to Gisborne Hospital for treatment (pictured). The chopper went down in remote, hilly terrain while carrying out agricultural work. Picture by Paul Rickard by Murray Robertson hilly terrain but we were able to Hastings Rescue Helicopter for land nearby,” a rescue chopper their efforts. A HELICOPTER pilot was spokesman said. “The Civil Aviation Authority taken to Gisborne Hospital this “The pilot had been able to get (CAA) has been made aware of morning after his machine went out of the machine on his own. the crash.” down in a remote area on the “He had sustained non-life In a statement late this north-eastern corner of Mahia threatening injuries to his back morning the CAA said it CHOPPER Peninsula. and head,” the spokesman said. appeared the helicopter may Police were advised of the “He was lucky not to have have hit a wire. crash and immediately called in been more seriously hurt, for “We are following up with ambulance and fire crews from sure.” police and the aviation operator. Mahia and Wairoa, and a rescue The injured pilot was treated at “It is too early to make any helicopter. the scene, carried on a stretcher comment on other details of the The Robinson R44 chopper to the rescue chopper and then accident as information is still PILOT went down in the Nukutaurua flown to Gisborne Hospital. being gathered.” Road area of Mahia and the pilot, His injuries were described as CAA has notified the aged 43, was the only person on “moderate”, status three. Transport Accident Investigation board. The hospital said late this Commission (TAIC) of the The Rescue Coordination morning the pilot was in a accident. Centre NZ coordinated the stable condition and was to be There have been safety response. transferred to Waikato Hospital concerns raised about Robinson SURVIVES “RCCNZ received an alert from for more specialist care. choppers for many years. the aircraft’s distress beacon at An emergency services According to a Radio NZ story 6am,” the coordination centre spokesman said the Robinson in 2018 there had been 143 said in a press release. was badly damaged in the crash, helicopter crashes involving “The helicopter was but did not catch fire. Robinsons in New Zealand since undertaking agricultural work at The RCCNZ has praised all 2000 and 21 of them were fatal. the time it crashed.” those involved in the response This morning’s crash follows CRASH The Lowe Corporation to the emergency. the fatal helicopter accident rescue chopper from Hastings “Thank you to Fire and north of Kaikoura yesterday in responded to the incident. Emergency NZ, the police, which two people died, and three “The Robinson went down in St John Ambulance and the others were seriously injured. GISBORNE RUATORIA WAIROA Local News ...... 1-5 Business ............10 Television ...........22 Births & Deaths ...4 Opinion ..............11 Farming .............24 Racing ................27 9 771170 043005 TOMORROW National ..6-9,19-21 World............ 12-14 Classifieds ... 25-26 Sport ............ 28-32 > 2 NEWS The Gisborne Herald • Wednesday, December 16, 2020 Wanted: one child missing a cuddly IF your child lost their easier to do that when cuddly travel buddy on a it’s a domestic traveller trip to Auckland recently, rather than international. Auckland Airport’s lost “Clothing, safe food property team are hoping items, sunglasses and for a Christmas reunion. toys go to Mangere East The airport’s lost Family Services. That’s property office manager where the bunny could Kelvin Jiang said the end up if its home cannot team were hoping to be found. reunite a young traveller “Earlier this year, we with the cuddly toy rabbit had a 3kg bag of onions with very long floppy ears, and a massive bag of which was handed in on toilet rolls left behind. It November 10. all goes to the charity, and There were five they do great work in the flights from Auckland to local community. Gisborne on the day the “Last month, a rabbit was found. surfboard was handed in “We have thousands of at the domestic terminal. lost items handed in every We managed to get that year, and some are very back to its owner. special. I’m sure someone “At the start of the will be missing their ABANDONED: This furry fellow with year, we had bicycles bunny. We’d like to get the long ears is waiting at Auckland and wheelchairs handed them back together,” Mr Airport lost property office to be in. We’ve had paintings, Jiang said. reunited with his owner. power tools, musical “This year, because Picture supplied instruments. There are of the effect Covid-19 even a couple of ukuleles has had on passenger in there right now.” numbers, fewer items have been handed in False teeth get handed in but because of from around the international terminal. the health risk, these are disposed of straight “But with domestic flights running at away.” around two-thirds of last year’s passenger If you know a young traveller who was volumes, there are still plenty of items that in the domestic terminal on November 10 get left behind. and has since realised they’ve lost a beloved “Whenever possible, we do what we can to cuddly bunny, please get in touch via email to HOME FOR CHRISTMAS: Auckland Airport lost property office manager get these items back to their owners and it’s lost [email protected]. Kelvin Jiang with the lost cuddly toy rabbit thought to be from Gisborne. Picture supplied Mission No 17 accomplished ROCKET Lab recorded another that can be used for urban development successful launch, the 17th, from its planning, construction and infrastructure Mahia site last night. monitoring, and disaster response across The mission, named ‘The Owl’s Night Asia. Begins’ launched from Rocket Lab Launch “Congratulations to the team Complex 1 on the Mahia Peninsula at at Synspective for the successful 10.09pm and successfully deployed deployment of their first satellite, said Synspective’s StriX-a to a 500km circular Rocket Lab founder and chief executive orbit. Peter Beck. The mission brings the total number of “We’re proud to be able to continue to payloads deployed by Rocket Lab to 96. provide dedicated launch opportunities for The StriX-a satellite will demonstrate small satellite customers like Synspective. synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology Electron provides tailored access to developed by Synspective to be able to space, enabling our customers to choose image millimetre-level changes to the exactly when they launch and under their Earth’s surface from space, independent specific mission parameters.” of weather conditions on Earth and at Details about Rocket Lab’s 18th any time of the day or night. StriX-a is the Electron launch will be announced shortly, first of more than 30 satellites planned by with the next mission scheduled to take NIGHT LAUNCH: A rocket lights up the sky, after a successful launch from Rocket Lab’s Mahia Synspective to form a constellation in low place from Launch Complex 1 early in the launch site last night. Picture by Rocket Lab Earth orbit to collate data on a daily basis new year. Get your Gisborne Herald home-delivered • Following the recent release of Plastic Bouquet Marlon Williams talks to the Guide about the collaborative album and the tour that brings him to Gisborne in March. • Technology helps Rhythm and Vines music festival go global. • Tairawhiti Museum presents Tokorau, an exhibition of new works that showcases Toihoukura’s emerging artists supported by staff. TOMORROW PLUS: MUSIC GUIDE • FILM REVIEWS • GUIDE GOSSIP The Gisborne Herald, 64 Gladstone Road, P.O. Box 1143, Gisborne • Phone (06) 869 0600 • Fax (Editorial) (06) 869 0643 (Advertising) (06) 869 0644 Editor: Jeremy Muir • Chief Reporter: Andrew Ashton • Circulation: Cara Haines • Sports: Jack Malcolm/John Gillies To nd out more call 869 0620 e-mail: [email protected] • [email protected] • [email protected] • web site: www.gisborneherald.co.nz The Gisborne Herald • Wednesday, December 16, 2020 NEWS 3 HELPING OTHERS: Gizzy Kai Food Rescue volunteers (from left) Lauren Beattie, Susie Lees, Pardeep Lail, Caroline Taylor and Heather Kopua prepare more “hampers” to be distributed into the community. They are asking the public to support the New Zealand Food Network Christmas Appeal. Picture by Liam Clayton Spreading the Christmas cheer by Wynsley Wrigley Donations can be made on the NZFN website. CHRISTMAS is fast approaching and two SuperGrans Tairawhiti Trust general Gisborne agencies want to spread the festive manager Linda Coulston said she absolutely spirit among struggling families/whanau, with hoped the Gisborne public would support the Christmas hampers. Christmas Appeal. Gizzy Kai Rescue and SuperGrans Tairawhiti The number of families who were struggling Trust have joined an initiative through New had definitely increased this year, she said. Zealand Food Network (NZFN) and their Gizzy Kai Rescue manager Lauren Beattie Christmas Appeal which aims to deliver asked the public to support the appeal. Chistmas hampers to 15,000 New Zealanders “It’s been a pretty tough year for many with nationwide. Covid-19,” she said. The two Gisborne agencies hope to be able “Foodbanks and community groups are to distribute 58 hampers each with SuperGrans assisting people who have never sought help aiming to distribute 29 of theirs within Ruatoria. before. The hampers, valued at $100, present “Our community struggles at times and a delicious, balanced Christmas spread Covid-19 has added another layer.” for a family of four, including a ham, fresh Gizzy Kai Rescue operates as a conduit THANKS VERY MUCH: Supergrans Tairawhiti volunteer Tiffany Zyp receives a vegetables and fruit, Weet-Bix, fresh milk and between food growers, producers and Christmas donation of goods from BDO Gisborne to distribute to needy families.