Doug Cushing, left, was the first on the scene at the Clifton cliff collapse. He had been swimming offshore with his two sons, father and uncle. Photo / File
He called emergency services.
He said the tractor from the tour was parked what looked like 20m away from where the massive pile of dirt and cliffside lay.
The tractor had been parked, and was on the Clifton side of the slip, with its passengers, who were walking, on the Cape Kidnappers side.
"The tour guides were really good, they helped everyone past the slip," he said.
He said people kept their eyes on the hill as they ran over the slip, as dirt and debris continued to come off the cliff.
He thought he saw about 50 people making the dash across the slip. During the event two people were injured, one critically, one moderately. They were transferred to Hawke's Bay Hospital.
