Rescuers are amazed a Mid North man survived a crash in which his ute ended up upside-down and under water in a narrow drainage ditch.
The 20-year-old was driving on Te Pua Rd, near Kaikohe, just after 10am on Sunday when it is thought he was distracted and veered off the road. One wheel dug into the verge, flipping his ute into a water-filled ditch.
A St John spokesman said the ditch was only a little wider than the ute, giving the driver little space to open his door and escape. He also had to get oriented while upside-down in muddy water, undo his seatbelt and find the door handle.
"He's a pretty lucky boy. There wasn't a lot of room on either side to open the doors."
The man suffered minor injuries to his head and back and mild hypothermia from being in cold water. Police and the Kaikohe Fire Brigade also attended the crash. The driver managed to get out of the ute before emergency services arrived.