Police and OSH investigating wedding party balcony collapse

Te Mahia Bay Resort owners say they would have warned wedding guests not to crowd on to a balcony which subsequently collapsed if they had known they planned to do so.

Police and Occupational Safety and Health are investigating why part of a deck collapsed at the Kenepuru Sound resort on Saturday afternoon, causing moderate injuries to two people and minor injuries to eight others.

Up to 40 people were believed to have been on the deck when it collapsed.

The mother of the bride broke her ankle and was airlifted to Wellington hospital by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, along with a 75-year-old man from Taranaki who suffered chest injuries.

"We wouldn't have had them on the balcony in that configuration, that's for real," resort owner Trevor Hook, who is also chairman of promotions group Destination Marlborough, said this morning.

Mr Hook said the deck was probably about 20-30 years old, of "sound construction", and regularly checked by staff.

He said staff at Te Mahia thought the wedding party were having their photographs taken in the resort's car park.

But a decision to take some group photos resulted in "quite a number" of people climbing on to the corner of the deck, which collapsed and threw them about two metres to the ground.

Guests who were taken to Wairau Hospital were discharged that night and returned to the resort to continue the celebrations, Mr Hook said.

Some of the wedding party, including the injured mother of the bride, had also arranged to meet up at the resort in a year's time to conclude the celebrations.

Occupational Safety and Health Nelson service manager Brian Stratford said he expected to complete a report on the accident within the next six weeks.

- NZPA