A European tourist has had a lucky escape after a large chunk of ice fell on him at New Zealand's Fox Glacier.
The man from the Czech Republic was one of three climbers taking part in a guided trip on the West Coast when he became caught in a rock fall about 3.30pm on Wednesday.
The trip was organised by Fox Glacier Guiding who say the man, aged in his mid-20s, was travelling alone.
He was pinned to the ice for a short time before being freed by mountain guides and medical staff and flown to Greymouth Hospital about 6.30pm.
The other climbers were not injured.
A hospital spokesperson, Brian Jamieson, says X-rays revealed the man suffered no fractures and he will be discharged on Wednesday night.
Mr Jamieson says although the man was trapped by the chunk of ice, it was not resting across his body and he was very fortunate.
Fox Glacier Guiding says there will be a full investigation into the incident. Chief executive Rob Jewell says the trip was standard and the guide taking it was one of the company's more experienced.
Mr Jewell says the company has been operating for 35 years and all its guides are members of the New Zealand Mountain Guides Association or are training towards their qualifications.
The incident follows the deaths of Australian tourists Ashish and Akshay Miranda, who were killed in an ice fall at Fox Glacier in December last year.
