EMERGENCY services raced to the Wanganui's southern entrance after a man jumped from Cobham Bridge yesterday afternoon.
The man, who has not been named, parked his four-wheel-drive vehicle on the bridge before jumping into the rain-swollen river about 2.30pm.
He was taken to Wanganui Hospital but discharged several hours later.
Police and ambulance
services scrambled to the scene after the man parked his vehicle on the bridge and jumped over the protective railing.
When they arrived, he was holding on to scaffolding that had been erected as part of earthquake-proofing work being done on the bridge.
"He was hanging on to some scaffolding at about the water line," senior sergeant Shayne Wainhouse, of Wanganui Police, said.
The man remained under the bridge for about 40 minutes as police assessed the situation, and waited for search and rescue to arrive.
Officers spoke to the man, and dropped an emergency blanket to protect him against the cold and rain.
The man was picked up by the Coastguard boat and ferried to the marina near the City Bridge, before being taken to hospital by ambulance.
He was treated for mild hypothermia, and released just after 5pm.
Cobham Bridge was reduced to one lane for about an hour while the rescue took place.
