A man has died after falling nine metres down a river bank while climbing a swing rope near Palmerston North tonight.
The 33-year-old was swimming with a group at Raumai Reserve, near Pohangina Valley East Rd, just north of Palmerston North.
Central police communications Inspector Mike Coleman said the man was climbing a rope near a bridge at the Reserve when he fell just after 5.30pm.
"He was going to dive in the river and fell, and fatally injured himself," Inspector Coleman said.
A St John Ambulance spokesman said the man died instantly.
"He's fallen over a nine-metre bank and into the river."
Further details surrounding the death were unclear, the spokesman said.
- Ben Irwin of the NZ Herald
