One person has died in an early morning crash in Western Bay of Plenty.
A car and truck collided on Pyes Pa Rd between Tauranga and Rotorua shortly before 4am, a Fire and Emergency spokesman said.
Head of Western Bay of Plenty road policing Senior Sergeant Mark Pakes said a crane was needed to pick the damaged truck up before it could be removed from the crash scene, between TECT All Terrain Park and the Ngawaro Gorge.
![A crane is needed to right the truck after the crash. Photo / George Novak](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/3BHIIZUOYBIKTVIUGQZLCHI2B4.jpg?auth=8e831f9b1b94ea734ffbbba9e2176aae077475aee441a6ab1f45447c742e2ef1&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
The road was closed for several hours, only reopening at 1.20pm.