Wild weather has hammered the top of the South Island, with flooding across the region and roads closed, while people are being urged to stay home. Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter pilot Barry McAuliffe said the chopper was called out to the Motueka Valley at the confluence of the Baton River and Motueka River.
Carol McKeever/SUPPLIED
Dramatic chopper rescue of man from campervan surrounded by floodwater near Motueka. He said a man had been camping out by the river for the past three days, and while he was sleeping the floodwaters had engulfed his vehicle and campervan. To escape the man had to go up through the skylight and get onto the roof, where the helicopter picked him up and took him to safety, McAuliffe said.
A man staying next to the Motueka River got a nasty surprise this morning when he awoke to flood waters surrounding his caravan.
Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter rescues a man after his car was submerged and his caravan partially submerged by the rising Motueka River
Photo: SUPPLIED
Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter pilot Barry McAuliffe said the rescued man managed to escape through the roof of his caravan.
McAuliffe said they initially thought they were going to a call-out about a campervan with people on the roof, but it turned out to be a caravan with a car completely submerged in front of it.
One person flown to Nelson Hospital after crash near Rai Valley stuff.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from stuff.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
An injured tramper was flown from the Granity Pass hut, Kahurangi National Park over the long weekend.
A tramper’s hike over the long weekend was cut short after twisting an ankle in Kahurangi National Park’s rugged terrain. On Monday at 7am, the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter flew to a beacon activated by a tramper in the Mt Owen area. Pilot Barry McAuliffe said the crew flew to Granity Pass Hut to pick up a patient who had twisted their ankle while walking in the rugged landscape. “It’s reasonably full on terrain in that part of the world, understandably there’s no way out apart from helicopter when you can’t walk.”
Tramper airflifted from Heaphy Track stuff.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from stuff.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.