Five young men taken to hospital after car rolls into muddy ditch on Taihape Rd, near Hastings

Five young men have been taken to hospital after a car rolled into a drain on Taihape Rd, near Hastings.

Witnesses at the scene said two were trapped in the vehicle, which was lying on its roof in the water, for several minutes after the crash on Sunday, about 11.30am.

Five people were injured after their car rolled off Taihape Rd in Hastings. Photo / Paul Taylor

All five were taken to Hawke's Bay Hospital for assessment.

A spokeswoman for Hawke's Bay Hospital said one of the victims, a male teenager, was in a serious condition in the ICU.

The other four, all either in their teens or early 20s, were all in stable conditions on Sunday afternoon.

A police spokeswoman said police had received reports of a car rolling just before 11.30am. One person trapped was rescued just before midday, the spokeswoman said.

Two were trapped for a period of time in the car as it lay on its roof in the drain. Photo / Paul Taylor

A spokesperson for St John Ambulance said when they were transferred to Hawke's Bay Hospital, one was in a serious condition, two had moderate injuries and two minor.

A witness at the scene, who did not want to be named, said the five were lucky to be alive.

He said he was amazed anyone had managed to make it out of the car.

If the water in the ditch had been much higher, he said, it was unlikely the victims would have made it out.