‘Very, very lucky’ truck driver recovering from crash

The truck and trailer unit where it came to rest in a creek below State Highway One just north of Mangaweka. Photo / Mark Mitchell

A truck driver rescued by other truckies after crashing into a fast-moving creek yesterday is recovering in hospital.

The delivery driver, in his 50s, crashed in the central North Island at Utiku, north of Mangaweka, at about 5am.

Chris Cording of Marton yesterday told NZME News Service that he and another McCarthy Transport employee, Shane Gowan, were travelling on State Highway One when they saw a truck carrying a load of potato chips had plunged down a bank.

"I said to me mate that was driving the ute: Oh Christ, he's gone down into the drain, so best we do something and get down there and bloody get him out."

Along with "a couple of other jokers", they managed to smash the truck's window and get the trapped driver out.

The "very, very lucky" driver, described as a stocky man in his 50s, was taken away by ambulance before being transferred to the Palmerston Rescue Helicopter.

He was then flown to Palmerston North Hospital.

Today a hospital spokesman said the man was in a stable condition in a general ward.

The driver declined to speak to the media about his ordeal.

The truck belonged to AF Logistics, a third party provider to Linfox, who told NZME News Service yesterday that the accident happened while the driver was performing a delivery on behalf of the business.

“Our concern is with the driver involved in the incident,” a spokeswoman said. “The business is co-operating with authorities and we will conduct our own investigation into what occurred.”