An Auckland man has died after falling down stairs at his bach and lying there alone until he was found on Monday afternoon.
The man, in his 60s, went to his Coromandel holiday home on Friday to prepare for Christmas.
When he did not show up for work on Monday, his family alerted local police in Hahei.
He was found in a serious condition inside the house after suffering a cardiac event and falling down about 25 stairs.
A Westpac Rescue Helicopter from Auckland was called and upon arrival the man's condition was upgraded to critical.
Along with ambulance staff, the helicopter paramedics and doctor worked to try save him for nearly an hour, but he died at the scene.
"He was hyperthermic - he was just really, really cold - he was suffering injuries from the fall and unfortunately he didn't make it," Kerrie Spicer from the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust said.
It was thought he had been lying there for some time before being found.