South Island rescue teams kept on run

Emergency services had a busy weekend across the South Island, attending a fatal road crash, a bull goring, and rescuing a fisherman who was washed out to sea.

A 52-year-old Timaru man died on Saturday evening when he failed to take a corner near Murchison on his motorbike.

The man died at the scene about 15 kilometres south of Murchison, on the Shenandoah saddle on State Highway 65 about 5.30pm.

Murchison Constable Mike McDougall said the motorcyclist, riding a Harley Davidson, did not appear to be speeding.

"There are no skid marks to say there was excessive speed," he said. "The roads here are notorious. There are a lot of black spots."

A passerby noticed the motorcyclist on the edge of the road and raised the alarm at a nearby house. Summit Rescue Helicopter attended, but paramedics could not revive him, said pilot and base manager Tim Douglas-Clifford.

The name of the victim had not been released by late last night.

The rescue helicopter was also called out earlier on Saturday afternoon when a ute rolled on State Highway 6 near Motupiko just south of Nelson.

The 51-year-old female driver from Christchurch was stung by a bee and lost control of her vehicle, rolling it down a three-metre bank and coming to a halt upside down about 10 metres from the road.

Two fire appliances, ambulance and police also attended.

The woman had to be cut free from the vehicle, but her 38-year-old partner freed himself, said Douglas-Clifford.

"She said she had multiple stings by a bee and that is what made her veer off the road. She was pretty embarrassed," he said.

The woman and her partner were taken by helicopter to Nelson Hospital, but were discharged the same day.

A man had a lucky escape on Saturday morning after being swept out to sea from the Waimakariri River mouth while fishing. He was retrieved about 300m off the coast after spending about 50 minutes in rough seas without a lifejacket.

Coastguard Waimakariri-Ashley Lifeboat spokesman Glenn Scott said the fisherman, 48, was "hypothermic and not very talkative" when found.

"Another couple of minutes and it wouldn't have been a search, it would have been a recovery."

Back on shore, the man was taken to Christchurch Hospital by Canterbury's Westpac Rescue Helicopter. He was discharged from hospital yesterday morning.

The rescue helicopter attended at least four other emergencies over the weekend.

At Clandeboye, a South Canterbury woman was taken to Christchurch Hospital after being gored by a bull.

On the Port Hills, a hiker fell and had to be winched off the Bridle Path yesterday afternoon.

Yesterday morning a woman with moderate injuries was flown to Christchurch Hospital after a van rolled on Little Akaloa Road on Banks Peninsula.

On Saturday morning a 61-year-old Nelson woman with back injuries was flown to Christchurch Hospital after her car rolled near the Waiau River bridge on the Lewis Pass.

- © Fairfax NZ News