KEY POINTS:
A nine-year-old Christchurch boy was killed today after the truck he was in crashed into a bridge near Kaikoura on State Highway 1.
Inspector Michael Coulter of Christchurch police said the crash happened about 6.20am at the Irongate Stream about 10km north of Kaikoura.
"The truck left Christchurch about 3am and collided with the bridge on that stretch of road."
Mr Coulter said the 57-year-old Christchurch driver of the truck was taken to hospital in Kaikoura for treatment.
"The driver, who suffered moderate injuries, took longer to be cut from the vehicle."
Heavy lifting machinery was used to move the vehicle from the crash scene and the highway was reduced to one lane, he said.
Serious crash investigators remained at the scene this morning along with staff from the Blenheim criminal investigation branch and Kaikoura police, fire and ambulance.
Meanwhile, Blenheim police attended a vehicle crash in the Avon valley area of Marlborough, a rural area about 40km from Blenheim.
Police said the driver crashed his ute about 10pm last night and was not found until about 7.15am today.
The 47-year-old man from Blenheim was cold, but had only minor injuries and was flown to Wairau Hospital .
He was trapped in the vehicle down a bank, adjacent to a bridge.
Police said the ute was near a cliff and had to be stabilised before the man could be removed.
- NZPA
