Young woman drowns in irrigation channel

A young woman has drowned after falling into a swift-moving irrigation ditch off the Waimakariri river in Canterbury today.

The victim, believed to be an 18-year-old female, died at the scene, according to emergency services.

Police, ambulance, fireservice and a Westpac rescue helicopter rushed to the water race on Intake Road, near Kirwee, in the Selwyn district in the early afternoon.

A spokesman for Christchurch Police said: "We were advised at 1.22pm after a call from a member of the public that a young woman had fallen into an intake for an irrigation scheme on the Waimakariri river.''

He confirmed the woman had died but refused to give further personal details, adding: "Next of kin are yet to be advised.''

A spokesman for St John ambulance said: "We sent an ambulance and a Westpac rescue helicopter with a St John Intensive Care Paramedic (ICP) on board to the scene, which was Intake Road in Eyrewell.

"The patient was a teenage girl who had fallen into an irrigation ditch. Unfortunately the patient was deceased at the scene and could not be revived.''