A tourist was taken to hospital with back injuries yesterday after an incident on a guided quad bike tour near Queenstown.
Emergency services were called to Tucker Beach Rd, on Queenstown Hill, after reports of the incident about 11.15am.
The tourist was taken Lakes District Hospital by ambulance, a St John spokesman said. St John did not have any further details about the victim.
Police were not called.
The tourist was with a group riding quad bikes in the area with a guide from Nomad Safaris, company director David Gatward-Ferguson said.
He was not fully aware of the details of the incident and did not want to comment while a company assessment and WorkSafe investigation were ongoing.
"All I know ... is that he has got some back pain and that he was first taken to Queenstown and then he was taken somewhere else,'' he said.
He understood the man was transferred to Southland Hospital by ambulance.
The route was one regularly used by the company on guided tours, he said.
"We don't have very many incidents,'' he said.
"But this isn't the only incident in the company's 15-year history.''
The company had not been told what injuries the tourist had, he said.
The company would compile witness statements and guide statements before its operations manager carried out an assessment.
"Our thoughts go out to the customer,'' Mr Gatward-Ferguson said.
A WorkSafe New Zealand spokeswoman said WorkSafe was notified of the incident and initial inquiries were being made.
