Elderly man dies in submerged Southland car

An elderly man who died when his vehicle hit a bridge in rural Southland yesterday has been named by police.

He was 87-year-old John Duncan Andrews.

Mr Andrews was thought to have been driving from Invercargill to Wyndham when he crashed on Mataura Island-Fortrose Road, south of Edendale, about 4.45pm, Invercargill Sergeant Ian Martin told the Southland Times.

His upside down vehicle was found in a flooded stream by a passing motorist who stopped to investigate debris on the road.

Mr Andrews was the only person in the car and the police serious crash unit was investigating.

- NZPA