Injured paraglider in hospital after Redcliffs, Christchurch rescue

The paraglider had launched from the Redcliffs near Balmoral Reserve. File photo / 123rf

About 25 fire crew were involved in a two-hour mission to rescue a stranded paraglider who had been blown into a cliff face this morning.

The paraglider has been taken to hospital with moderate injuries after he was rescued 20m down a cliff behind Redcliffs park in Christchurch.

Police were notified at 10.10am that a paraglider had been "picked up by the wind" and landed partway down a cliff, after launching from the Redcliffs near Balmoral Reserve in Christchurch.

Fire and Emergency NZ shift manager Alex Norris Shift said five fire trucks and about 25 fire crew had attended, and specialist equipment had been needed to rescue the paraglider from the cliff face.

"We were using what we refer to as our lines rescue equipment … which helps us to access difficult terrain, like vertical extrication of patients."

"We made access from the top of the cliff there, coming down to the patient that way."

It took about two hours for the paraglider to be safely brought up about 20m to the top of the cliff.

Norris said such rescues were uncommon, but crew members were well trained for them when they occurred.

A police spokeswoman said shortly before midday the man had been retrieved and was transported to Christchurch Hospital.

A St John spokeswoman confirmed they were alerted to an incident in Redcliffs at 10.07am. They sent two ambulances and one manager, and the man was taken to hospital with moderate injuries.