Paraglider dies in crash at Mount Maunganui

Ambulance are at the scene where a paraglider has crashed. Photo / File

A 48-year-old man has died in a paragliding crash near the summit of Mauao police say.

Senior Sergeant Rob Glencross described the man as a local. The crash happened about 6.20pm last night on the eastern side of the Mount.

"The paraglider landed about 100 metres into dense bush which required 4WD vehicles to reach. The man's body was recovered by a team of emergency services personnel shortly after 8.30pm."

Police wanted to hear from any witnesses to the crash, Glencross said.

Anyone with still-photography or video footage of the crash should contact Tauranga police on (07) 577 4300.

Earlier witnesses reported the paraglider had crashed about 300m from the summit.

Firefighters from Tauranga and Mount Maunganui helped get emergency services' workers to the crash site, and a rescue helicopter was also sent to the scene.

Reality TV show winner Josh Tingey died in a paragliding crash on Mauao in February.

The recently-engaged 28-year-old had two years earlier participated in and eventually won reality TV series Our First Home with fiancee Rebecca Wotton, his mother Theresa Tingey, and Wotton's father, Henry Wotton.

A coroner later found Tingey had either misjudged his own ability, or a sudden gust put him off course.