Passers-by have pulled a person from a car which left State Highway 1 and came to rest in Lake Taupō, near Rawhira Rd.
Nigel Ackerman, from Palmerston North, said he was at the SH1 rest stop before Waitetoko Beach Reserve when he saw a grey ute go off the road and into the water.
“We were just down here having a cup of tea,” Ackerman said.
“We heard this noise. Next thing you know he was in the lake.”
Ackerman said the ute came off the road and went about 10 metres into the lake.