The Christchurch estuary's soft mud and a rising tide have claimed a 4WD despite frantic attempts to free the stricken vehicle.

The 4WD's driver could be forced to pay for removal costs after getting stuck in an estuary.

The Christchurch estuary's soft mud and a rising tide have claimed a 4WD despite frantic attempts to free the stricken vehicle.

Kayakers on the estuary investigate the the stricken 4WD.

The Christchurch estuary's soft mud and a rising tide have claimed a 4WD despite frantic attempts to free the stricken vehicle.

Do you know the driver of the truck or have further information? Email: blair.ensor@press.co.nz

The man was "doing doughnuts" in the soft mud before getting stuck, said civil construction employee Willie Carberry.

SOS Towing spokesman Trevor Lilley said the company was called to try and haul a vehicle out of trouble about midday yesterday.

When staff arrived they found what appeared to be a Nissan Terrano stuck near the main channel of the estuary.

The towing company refused to risk its own truck in the rescue from the sticky mud, Lilley said.

"[The stuck driver's friend] said 'he has got no brains'."

Paul Corliss, who contacted The Press about the incident, said a member of the public then volunteered to try and pull the vehicle out of the mud using his own 4WD in exchange for $200.

However, he "couldn't budge it, the suction holding it firm". In the end the vehicle was abandoned and swallowed up by the tide in the early evening.



Oil and diesel was seeping out of it, Corliss said.



It appeared the driver entered the estuary at low tide via the Mt Pleasant Yacht Club on Main Road.

Watershed Bar and Restaurant manager Jordon Kane said the truck was still in the estuary this morning and had been circled by a group in kayaks.

Carberry said the motorist, aged in about his mid 30s, had also tried to hire equipment from his site, but couldn't afford the $250 an hour to hire a digger.

"I have no remorse for the guy. He was just being dumb really.

"Kayakers and those wind surfers are what I normally see out there - not turkeys in a 4WD."