Event Hire, which operates the ride, said the incident involved three men during one of the event’s final rides. Event Hire director Phil Anderson said all patrons were checked before boarding the ride “to ensure they are fit to ride safely”. The operator said they saw the men swinging the bucket they were sitting in during the ride, according to a statement from Event Hire. He said Event Hire notified WorkSafe of the accident and had also organised for an independent engineer to undertake a full technical review of the equipment involved. In Christchurch, police said behaviour at New Year’s Eve events was mainly good, with no issues at a Hagley Park concert and only minor incidents at the Rolling Meadows festival.

Source: New Zealand Herald January 01, 2026 05:37 UTC