One dead in South Island helicopter crash

One person is dead after a helicopter crashed in the Lake Coleridge area, about 100km west of Christchurch, this afternoon.

Authorities were told the helicopter was missing about 2pm after a hunter who had been dropped off this morning made it to a nearby station to say it had not turned up, National Rescue Co-ordination Centre spokesman Ross Henderson said.

The helicopter was found in the Rolleston Range northwest of Lake Coleridge and one of the two occupants died at the scene.

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter with St John Ambulance paramedics on board took one man to Christchurch Hospital with serious injuries, an ambulance spokesman said.

Mr Henderson said a privately owned Robinson R-22 was found about 3.35pm after a search involving two helicopters, on from Garden City Helicopters and the other from Mt Hutt helicopters.

"It had dropped off a party of hunters about 9.30am this morning and apparently had gone off to do something else but was expected back shortly after but never returned," he said.

He did not know if the hunters had been picked up by another helicopter.


- NZPA