A gust of wind, pilot error or mechanical failure could have been to blame for carrying an ill-fated balloon into power lines yesterday, sparking a catastrophic fire and cutting power to 3800 homes.
A private balloon trip with his son is the "marvellous'' memory that stands out for the father of a pilot killed in a ballooning crash yesterday.
A Hamilton man who lost his inflatable shark toy on Christmas Day believes it floated all the way to Christchurch.
The third day of search efforts for a Department of Conservation worker missing on remote Raoul Island is under way as hopes dwindle of finding him alive.
A young Auckland man had a "close shave with death'' when he was pulled, blue and barely breathing, from a rip at a Coromandel beach.
A six-year-old boy and 42-year-old man are in Starship Hospital after a quadbike crash near Auckland this morning.
Child Youth and Family have apologised for nearly placing two toddlers alongside a youth going through a sexual treatment programme.
Some areas of Christchurch may be rezoned as red following two large earthquakes and a steady stream of aftershocks.
A toddler bitten by a dog is recovering well from surgery.
A mother who allegedly attacked her daughter's bully is seeking diversion.
Police have named a man killed in a collision south of Te Kuiti on Saturday.
Protesters who have been camping in the middle of Auckland filled a courtroom today, bursting with song, indignation and flute music.
Firefighters are this morning battling a massive blaze which has engulfed Rotorua's Warehouse Stationery building and is threatening to spread to neighbouring buildings.
If a dangerous inmate was properly assessed and left in his cell, a dead prison officer would still be here, a maximum security prison officer has told an inquest.
Twenty people have been arrested, a further 45 trespassed from the Kaingaroa Forest near Rotorua and a slew of possessions impounded after a three week investigation targeting theft, cannabis offending and unlawful activity in the forest.
Overseas visitors flocked to stay in pricey North Island accommodation and Kiwis stayed at home during the Rugby World Cup, statistics show.
One car ended up in the water and another on a beach after two separate car crashes in the space of 20 minutes in Whangarei this morning.
A woman bound and beaten in a vicious attack in Hobsonville remains shaken today, while the intruder is still on the run, say police.
Kiwis are dreaming of whizzing about in jetboats, swanning around in designer clothing and bouncing on trampolines this Christmas, research shows.
A man is dead after a crash north of Matamata last night.
