Family rescued after strong winds flip campervan

The family's campervan was overturned by strong winds at Mount Cook. Photo / Getty Images

A French family travelling through the South Island had to be rescued out the back window of their upturned campervan at Mount Cook after it flipped in strong winds yesterday.

Mount Cook Department of Conservation ranger David Dittmer said a weather system produced gale-force winds across the Southern Alps yesterday that peaked at 200km/h.

"They were returning from the Tasman Rd and got hit by one of the really big gusts that came through in the midst of that storm.

"Being a high-sided tank campervan it just tipped it over. It was a low-speed accident, it was just the sheer force of the gales."

The accident occurred around midday, Mr Dittmer said.

"The local Mount Cook fire brigade and the volunteer St John ambulance people responded and I think they removed a window a window at the rear of the van and got the family out."

The family were fine other than being shaken up from the experience, he said.

"When we get these big weather systems that come up through the alps and across New Zealand - that's just a fact of where we are - and international travellers probably don't appreciate the strength of these winds.

"There are days when we do post wind warning notices, but they don't always take notice of them."