Two people were killed in a helicopter crash with three children pulled out of the wreckage alive, according to reports.
Locals watched in horror as the helicopter crashed into a beach north of Kaikoura, New Zealand, with a witness saying it was "completely destroyed".
Three people were reportedly airlifted to hospital seriously injured.
Coastal Lodge owner Lyn Mehrtens said the helicopter spun round in circles as is plunged to the ground.
He said he heard a bang as it hit the ground.
He told Newstalk ZB : "We just watched it go round and round and round.
"It's scary. You're just so helpless. You can't do anything."
Locals tried to help until emergency services arrived at the scene.
"Further details regarding the deceased and injured, including ages and genders, will not be released until all necessary family notifications have been carried out," police said in a statement.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) operational insurance team member Darryl Papesch believed the three who were rescued were children.
He told the New Zealand Herald : "We were having conversations with them, not a proper conversation but they knew their names and how old they were.
"The three people injured were young...they weren't adults, I'd say children, definitely children."
Emergency services were alerted to the crash at 12.40pm.
Investigators are working to try and establish the cause of the crash.
