A man who suffered an electric shock when the mast of a boat struck power lines realises he's cheated death but is "back to his cheeky self".
Masterton man Riki Te Tau, 38, was maneuvering the boat out of the water when the mast struck overhead lines at the Outward Bound School in Marlborough yesterday afternoon.
Mr Te Tau was not an Outward Bound student, but the partner of an instructor who lives on site.
Staff performed CPR before Mr Te Tau was airlifted to Wellington Hospital, where he was in a stable condition today.
Outward Bound chief executive Trevor Taylor said Mr Te Tau was in good spirits.
"He's back to his cheeky self," he said.
"He's talking, he's laughing. He realises he's been there and back."
Mr Taylor said Mr Te Tau remembered looking up and realising he was being shocked before blacking out. He came to when he was resuscitated.
Outward Bound would conduct a review. Mr Taylor said WorkSafe had already looked into the event and would not investigate further.
"We have also been talking to the lines company ... because it is a hazard for the general public," he said.
- By John Weekes of APNZ
