Crew rescues child dangling from chair lift at ski slopes

A dramatic rescue was caught on video after a boy in New Zealand who slipped off his chair lift was left dangling high above the ski slopes.

The incident happened Saturday at Mt. Hutt Ski Resort, witness Tony Kramers wrote.

After the boy slipped off his chair lift, he was dangling about 30 feet above the ground. When the staff at the resort realized what was happening, they sprang into action as hushed onlookers watched. The staff grabbed a safety pad from a nearby pole and held it out to cushion his fall.

When he landed, the crowd broke out into relieved applause. The ordeal lasted just over a minute.

The New Zealand Herald identified the boy as 11-year-old Jack Clulee. Jack's father told the Herald that Jack slipped before they could lower the safety bar and that he and Jack's uncle held on as the lift continued to rise.

A representative of the resort told the Herald that as soon as they were sure Jack was OK, he skied away.