Bodies on beach believed to be from plane crash

The bodies of two people found this morning on a Christchurch beach may have come from a plane which crashed last night.

The bodies, believed to be a man and a woman, washed up at the northern and southern ends of Leithfield Beach this morning.

While police are yet to officially confirm the discovery, the Rescue Co-ordination Centre has said it is searching for a small aircraft in that area.

Christchurch's air traffic control contacted the centre at 8.30am to report an overdue Cessnar 182.

The plane was believed to have left from Nelson last night and was destined for Christchurch but never arrived.

Ambulance officers arrived at Amberley Beach this morning to assist with the bodies but there was nothing that could be done.