Eight escape Glacier chopper crash

All eight people on board a sightseeing helicopter which crashed on Franz Josef Glacier today have escaped uninjured.

The Christchurch Police Communications Centre received advice of the crash at 12.24pm. St John Ambulance Communications Centre in Christchurch said the Franz Josef ambulance and the Solid Energy Rescue Helicopter from Greymouth were called to the scene but were not required.

Sergeant Mark Berry of the Hokitika police told NZPA that another helicopter had ferried the passengers off the glacier.

It had yet to be established how the helicopter, which was operated by The Helicopter Line, had come to crash, he said. An investigation by the Civil Aviation Authority would probably establish that.

"All I can say is, it can't have been much of a crash because everyone survived, and helicopter crashes usually have much more serious consequences."

- nzpa