Police commend bystanders who helped save man 'in crisis' on Tauranga overpass

Cambridge Road overpass, looking towards Bethlehem. Photo / George Novak

The actions of bystanders who helped a man in crisis off a Tauranga overpass have been commended by police.

Tauranga police took to Facebook last night to publicly applaud the people involved.

A man "in crisis" had climbed over the railing of the Cambridge Rd overpass, which runs over State Highway 2 between the city and Bethlehem.

Police said in their post that traffic came to a standstill on the expressway underneath.

"Some local people pulled this man back over the railings to safety and held him until police could arrive," police said.

"A huge shout out and 'thank you' to these unnamed local heroes from the Tauranga police. You can be rightly proud of your actions! Thank you again!"

Whangamata couple Beryl and Hudson Brook were travelling towards Bethlehem about 6.30pm yesterday when traffic came to a stop near the overpass.

Beryl Brook said she initially thought there had been a crash as traffic in both directions was at a standstill.

"A guy came running down the road yelling that someone was on the bridge," Beryl Brook said.

"I looked up and there was a man ... on the outside of the bridge."

Brook said there were about half a dozen people on the overpass who acted quickly to help the man.

A member of the public ran away and came back with a tie-down strap, Brook said.

They then looped the strap down to reach under the man's feet.

"When they pulled the strap up it came under his arms and they pulled him over," Brook said.

"It was so frightening but the guys at the top did a really good job," she said.

The incident was over in about five minutes and once the man was safely on the overpass traffic started to move again, she said.

Earlier this evening a man in crisis climbed over the railing of the Cambridge Road overpass in Tauranga. Traffic came...

Posted by Bay of Plenty & Taupo Police on Monday, 26 November 2018

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