The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

Footage shows dramatic rescue as farmer lifted to safety in Canterbury

NZ Herald
30 May, 2021 03:04 AMQuick Read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
WATCH: Helicopter rescues stranded resident from flood. SOURCE / Hoops on Air

Dramatic footage has emerged of a farmer being lifted to safety from a swollen river, as floodwaters rise and heavy rain continues in Canterbury.

The two-minute video, posted to Facebook by Hokonui radio host Phill Hooper this afternoon, shows a helicopter hovering above the raging river below where a lone figure is standing trapped in the floodwaters.

The helicopter lands and the individual climbs aboard before the helicopter takes off.

The Herald understands the rescue took place at Green St in Winchmore, west of Ashburton.

Six people tending stock have also been trapped by rising floodwaters in the Foothills Rd area at Okuku, North Canterbury.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

A police spokeswoman said they had been notified of people trapped in this area, and Fire and Emergency was assisting Search and Rescue and police.

The six have now been airlifted to safety by helicopter.

Save
    Share this article

Latest from The Country

The Country

Ruawai’s ‘pioneering’ $5.3m floodgate protects highway and valuable farmland

13 May 04:00 AM
The Country

NZ lamb exports at risk of Trump's tariffs

13 May 02:33 AM
The Country

The Country: Christopher Luxon on US lamb tariffs

13 May 02:20 AM

Sponsored

The punch that eggs pack

13 May 01:24 AM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

Ruawai’s ‘pioneering’ $5.3m floodgate protects highway and valuable farmland
The Country

Ruawai’s ‘pioneering’ $5.3m floodgate protects highway and valuable farmland

Construction began in October 2024 and the floodgate began work in 2025.

13 May 04:00 AM
NZ lamb exports at risk of Trump's tariffs
The Country

NZ lamb exports at risk of Trump's tariffs

13 May 02:33 AM
The Country: Christopher Luxon on US lamb tariffs
The Country

The Country: Christopher Luxon on US lamb tariffs

13 May 02:20 AM


The punch that eggs pack
Sponsored

The punch that eggs pack

13 May 01:24 AM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • NZME Digital Performance Marketing
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2026 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP