All occupants of flipped boat safe - police

Three people on board a jetboat which flipped on the Waiamakariri River in Canterbury tonight all made it to safety, police say.

Police were called about 5.45pm after the boat flipped near Darfield, west of Christchurch.

One man was initially swept away in high waters but police said they had found and spoken to all of the boat's occupants after a search involving boats and a rescue helicopter.

- NZPA