A helicopter has crashed at Fox Glacier

A helicopter with seven people on board has crashed at a popular New Zealand tourism site, with blustery weather conditions hampering the search for survivors.

A mountain rescue team will then be winched down to the site along with a paramedic.

A paramedic and an alpine rescue team have arrived at the scene of a helicopter crash on Fox Glacier.

“We are still piecing together all the details – once confirmed we will put out a statement”, he said.

“Everything is against a rescue [mission]”.

He was shocked to hear of the downed chopper.

It would ease to showers by tomorrow morning.

“It is awful. We just have to wait and see if there are any survivors”.

“When he’s on the ground there he’ll assess the situation and provide what assistance necessary”, he said.

Alpine Adventures is home of Fox Glacier and Franz Josef Heliservices, Tekapo Helicopters and Kaikoura Helicopters.

October 2013: A Helicopter Line aircraft crashed on Tyndall Glacier, near Queenstown, clipping another of the company’s helicopters while attempting to land.

June 2015: Pilot Brad Maclachlan sustained serious injuries when his helicopter crashed trapping him in the cockpit shortly after picking up two hunters, who received minor injuries, near Poerua Glacier, Westland.

All three were taken to hospital.

A review into the investigation released last month by the Transport Accident Investigation Commission found the cause of the disaster may never be known.

In 2010, a plane headed for Fox Glacier crashed while taking off from a near-by town, killing all nine people on board, including four worldwide tourists. Four were tourists and five were locals.