A Royal New Zealand Air Force helicopter pilot said he didn't know if his family was safe while taking part in cyclone rescue efforts this week.
Chris Ross of 3 Squadron has been spending the past few days in Hawke's Bay, helping evacuate those in trouble.
When speaking to Seven Sharp about how he's reflected on the missions he flies, he said a critical moment for him was receiving a text from his wife, who said flooding had hit back home.
"The last text I got from my wife was the fact that the local river down the road was breaching its banks, and she was overly concerned."
He said the text changed his attitude while out in the field - he wanted to know if his family was alright.
"So driving back to the hotel in complete darkness without comms - I felt helpless in that fact that I didn't know if my family were going to be safe."
He said rescuing people in Napier and Hastings has been particularly difficult.
"A lot of people had climbed up into the roof cavities and punched holes through the iron on the roof.
"If you're going in there with a 10-tonne helicopter, you put yourself in danger from flapping iron."
But so far, he's managed to do his job without problems, thanks to a cool head.
"Keeping a cool head, making sure that you're not putting the aircraft and crew in danger is first and foremost," he said.
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