Student found after 18 hours in bush was knocked unconscious in fall

A student rescued from the bush in Hawke's Bay is understood to have suffered a head knock in a fall, and had told his rescuers he had been unconscious for some time. The teenager, who attends Taradale High School, was rescued on Wednesday after getting separated from his school group while hiking to Sunrise Hut in the Ruahine Forest Park. Police began a search and rescue operation on Tuesday night. The crew of a Defence Force NH90 helicopter had been in the area for mountain flying training when they were asked to assist with the search for the teen, who had been missing for more than 18 hours. After searching near Sunrise Hut, the helicopter crew turned their attention to the tracks in that area, as well as Top Maropea Hut. After that the helicopter flew to the Waipawa River Valley, where the teen was found.