Gang members involved in motorcycle crash in South Canterbury

Tribesmen gang members. Photo / File

Gang members have reportedly been involved in a crash that resulted in a small vegetation fire in South Canterbury.

The crash happened before 1pm today and a source has confirmed at least one motorbike and van were involved.

“Gang members were involved,” he said.

“One person was injured, heaps of police on scene.”

Members of the notorious Tribesmen MC bikie gang descended on Christchurch for a patching ceremony over the weekend, putting the city’s police on high alert.

Officers stopped a convoy of Tribesmen members in the early hours of Friday morning just north of Christchurch.

Six motorbikes were seized and impounded, while a number of infringement notices were written up.

The Herald understands that the group is made up of around 50-60 gang members for their annual national run, taking in a patching ceremony in Christchurch, before heading south for the Burt Munro Challenge in Southland – said to be the largest motorcycle rally in the southern hemisphere.

Earlier today several motorbikes were involved in a crash in Kakahu, near Geraldine in South Canterbury.

Police were alerted to the crash at 1pm.

A police spokesperson said the location of the crash was State Highway 79, the Geraldine-Fairlie Highway, near Townsend Rd.

“Several people have minor injuries, and one person with a suspected spinal injury will be taken to hospital by helicopter,” said the spokesperson.

“FENZ has also been called to deal with a vegetation fire, which appears to have been caused when one of the crashed bikes caught alight.

“Motorists on the highway should expect delays while emergency services work at the scene.”

The convoy that arrived in Canterbury last week is believed to have started with the Kaikohe chapter riding down from the Far North to Auckland and meeting up with crew there, before picking up others as they travelled down the country, catching the Interislander ferry across Cook Strait to Picton late on Thursday.