Skiers and rescuers scrambled into action as a young boy was spotted dangling from the Mt Hutt ski field chairlift, 5m above the ground.
The child had slipped out of the chairlift and was left dangling for two minutes with his skis hanging below him, Stuff reported.
Video footage of the ordeal showed a group of people gathered below holding safety pads taken from a nearby tower of the chairlift, as the boy hangs for a moment - and then drops to safety.
Christchurch woman Jennifer Jones told Stuff that she had been snowboarding when she heard people yelling "stop, stop, stop".