Seconds from death

A man who threw himself from his four-wheel drive as it plunged over a cliff east of Eketahuna on Saturday said from his hospital bed yesterday he is sure he would have died had he stayed with the vehicle.
Michael Wigley, 57, a Wellington solicitor who has a weekend place at Daggs Rd, was covered in scrapes and bruises and with broken bones in his lower back.
He managed to jump clear from the Pajero as it plunged to the valley floor.
"I am sure I would have died if I hadn't jumped out," he said.
As it was, Mr Wigley ended up prone on the hillside - he thinks lapsing in and out of consciousness - while his partner, Ala Manterys, wondered where he had got to.
Mr Wigley had decided to treat Ms Manterys by leaving her in bed with a cup of tea while, still in his dressing gown, he drove the short distance to the letter box to collect the morning newspaper.
As he pulled items from the letter box, one fell to the ground.
"I did a stupid thing. I opened the car door wide and reached down to the ground to pick it up.
"The Pajero edged forward and tumbled down the hill, which is a huge drop."
He hit the ground about 30m down the bank as the vehicle rolled end-over-end to the bottom far below.
He lay there "getting cold" with the consolation that Ms Manterys at least knew he was away from home and should soon arrive back.
Meanwhile, his worried partner went looking for him.
She called on Ian Firmin, who works on Derek Daniell's farm at the top of Daggs Rd, to ask if he had seen Mr Wigley.
While out she came across the scene of the accident.
She, Mr Firmin and his partner sprang into action.
Emergency services were summoned and Mr Firmin scrambled down the hillside to the stricken man.
"He was conscious but very pale, and shock was setting in," he said.
"We got blankets and, as his feet were very cold, I started to rub them.
"Police, the fire brigade and ambulance got here very quickly and we had phoned for a rescue helicopter.'
The Palmerston North rescue helicopter piloted by Fergus MacLachlan arrived and the work of getting the injured man down the slope to where the helicopter had landed began.
Mr Wigley was whisked to Palmerston North Hospital while Mr MacLachlan marvelled at the lucky escape the injured man had had.
"He was fortunate to get clear of his vehicle that landed upside down in a swamp below. Considering the scene, he is very lucky to be alive," he said.
Yesterday Mr Wigley said that apart from cuts and bruises the injuries were to his lower back.
"I have four broken bones but no spinal injury."
Mr Wigley said that as he lay on the side of the hill contemplating his plight he realised if he was not soon found he would have to try and haul himself to safety. "That would have been extremely difficult, if not impossible. As it was, the rescue services did a stunning job, especially in that terrain.
"They were all very professional."
Not a man to be easily kept down, Mr Wigley was propped up in bed in hospital yesterday catching up on office work.
He said among the lessons he had learned from the traumatic incident was at least one with a glimmer of humour.
"Don't be too nice to your girlfriend by leaving her in bed while you get the paper."