Man rescued after being trapped under 2.5 tonne boulder for more than 12 hours in Tasman

The Nelson Marlborough rescue helicopter was on the scene to help rescue the trapped man. Photo / Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter Trust via Facebook

A 66-year-old man is lucky to be alive after being trapped under a boulder for more than 12 hours on a rural property in Tasman.

Carl Babe, a crew member with the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter who was on the scene, told the Herald the man was trapped under the boulder "for an excess of 12 hours".

"He has been walking home from a friend's house and walked towards the edge of the bridge approach that is constructed with big rocks, the boulder he was standing on gave way and he fell down the bank along with it," Babe explained.

Babe said the man fell two metres and an estimated 2.5-tonne boulder fell on top of one of his legs.

"It's a fairly rural community and a little bit away from a lot of traffic movement, so that's probably why he was trapped for so long without being found."

The man was finally found after a worried relative began looking for him after he failed to return home last night.

Fire and Emergency NZ (Fenz), St Johns, police and the Nelson Marlborough rescue helicopter all responded to the incident in Tapawera at about 10am and arrived to find the man with his leg trapped under a boulder.

"Fenz volunteers and ambulance staff managed to get him free, and he was taken to hospital in serious condition," a police spokesperson said.

He was transported to Nelson Hospital via helicopter in critical condition.