Mountain biker dies after 15m plunge

A mountain biker skidded off a track and fell down a 15m cliff at Te Mata Peak. Hawke's Bay Today Photograph by Duncan Brown.

A mountain biker who skidding off a mountain bike track and falling down a 15m cliff at Te Mata Peak last night has died.

The Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter winched the man up and flew him to Hawke's Bay Hospital.

A man sitting in his car watched the biker fall off the track after 6pm.

He said one minute the rider was on the track and the next minute he wasn't.

"He lost his bike halfway down and he just fell through the air. I called the ambulance and rushed down to where he was."

The cyclist fell into an area of trees, loose branches and rocks.

"He wasn't conscious but was breathing when I got down there."

A couple touring Hawke's Bay in a campervan had also seen the mountain biker fall.

They were walking down the road from the top of the peak and saw the man loop around the first track before coming back to do the second one.

"Next thing you just see his bike lost before him and he drops off. It didn't look good at all."

Ambulance staff rushed to the man and moments later the rescue helicopter arrived.

The decision was made to winch him up.

Young mountain bikers were coming down the peak as the accident happened and said they rode the path all the time.

"It is a tight corner but because I do it lots it isn't too scary," one boy said.