Whanau grateful to rescuers

THANKS: The driver of the articulated truck that crashed on SH2 in the Waioeka Gorge on Saturday and his whanau have extended their heartfelt thanks to everyone involved at the crash scene, and to the staff at Gisborne Hospital. File picture

The truck driver injured in a crash in the Waioeka Gorge and his whanau are thankful to everyone involved in the emergency response on Saturday.

The articulated truck was carrying a load of apples north when it went off State Highway 2 by the gorge monument.

Firefighters and St John Ambulance staff from the Bay of Plenty, police and the Trust Tairawhiti Rescue Helicopter responded to emergency.

Gisborne Hiabs and other recovery contractors worked into the early hours of Sunday morning to lift the badly damaged truck off the riverbank.

“We want to especially thank Josiah Cook, who got down the bank and into the cab of the truck soon after the crash,” the injured driver's partner said.

“Josiah supported him, and talked to him for about half an hour.”

Mr Cook and his whanau were the first people on the scene after the crash.

He told The Herald that they pulled over to check the situation, called out and heard a groan in reply.

“Other people also went down to the cab in the hour-and-a-half until further help arrived,” the driver's partner said.

Her partner was trapped in the cab.

“Our heartfelt thanks goes out to all those people who stopped and came to help.

“What they did for my partner was over and above.”

A couple of Mongrel Mob members stopped as well and removed unstable rocks from above the truck, she said.

“They also put a rope down the steep bank so people wanting to help could get down to the truck.

“We also want to thank the emergency services who came to help, of course the staff at Gisborne Hospital, the team at Tudor Park Motel, and Weatherell Transport for the awesome help they have provided.”

The injured driver and his partner live in Napier.

The couple flew back to Hawke's Bay yesterday where the driver will receive ongoing care at a local hospital.