Van ploughs off cliff and into river near Queenstown

There are fears for the wellbeing of the occupants of a van which has crashed off a cliff and into the Kawarau River near Queenstown this evening.

Police, fire and an ambulance are at the scene but have yet to give any detailed information about what has happened or how many people were in the van.

A police spokesperson would only say they received a report of a car going into a ditch at about 6.40pm.

However, photographer James Allan told the Herald he spoke witnesses at the scene who said a van heading from Cromwell towards Queenstown. It had crashed off the road and was now submerged in the river.

The van crashed through the speed sign and ploughed through a paddock, down a cliff and into the river. Photo / James Allan

Allan said it appeared the van was at the end of a passing lane and failed to take a sweeping right-hand corner before the Victoria Flats bridge. It hit a 85km/hr speed sign and ploughed through a fence.

It then travelled through a paddock and has gone off a cliff which he estimated was about 50m high.

He said the witness described the van being front down in the fast flowing river with only the front passenger side above the waterline.

A van has crashed through a paddock and down a cliff into the Kawerau River near Queenstown. Photo / James Allan