Passengers saved after dangling in car 50m down gorge

Roads through the Rakaia Gorge are icy and treacherous today. Photo / 123RF

Two people have been winched to safety in a daring rescue after they were trapped in a car 50m down a steep gorge in the South Island.

Firefirefighters using ropes cut the pair free and hauled them up a bank after their car went off the icy Rakaia Gorge Rd in Canterbury about 7.45am.

Fire Service southern shift manager Brent Dunn said the car had ended up resting against a belt of pines partway down the bank.

Two in the front seat clambered to safety from the crashed vehicle and scaled the gorge to raise the alarm.

But two in the back seat were trapped by their legs.

Firefighters attached by ropes reached the stricken pair and freed them using cutting equipment.

Dunn said one injured person was able to clamber up the bank with help from firefighters but the other had to be hauled up in a basket using a rope pulley system.

Both were treated by ambulance officers for leg injuries before being flown to Christchurch Hospital with the driver and front seat passenger who managed to get out on their own.

An ambulance spokeswoman said all escaped the crash with minor injuries.

Dunn said the pine trees averted catastrophe.

"If the pines were not there the car would have dropped to the bottom."

He said overnight ice had left the steep and windy gorge road in a treacherous state.

"Firefighters told me it was very, very difficult to stand up on the road let alone drive on it," he said.

Grit had been spread over 2.5km near where the crash happened to improve traction.

Due to a crash SH77 Methven-Darfield down to 1 lane with traffic management approx 1km Southwest of Windwhistle. ^JP https://t.co/xKipfT2XFd

— Waka Kotahi NZTA Canterbury & West Coast (@WakaKotahiCWC) June 8, 2017

A police spokeswoman said ice was creating hazardous conditions across the region's roads today.

Meanwhile, a person is seriously injured after a serious smash near a South Auckland high school this morning.

Police say a ute and truck collided near Wesley College on State Highway 22 about 8.45am.

A spokeswoman said one person was trapped in the wreckage and needed to be cut free by firefighters.

The motorist suffered serious injuries, she said.