Man seriously injured in truck collision

The van driver, a 48-year-old Minginui resident, received multiple serious injuries to his right leg and both arms.

A van carrying seven occupants was involved in a head-on with a fully laden logging truck in Kaingaroa yesterday morning, seriously injuring a Minginui man.

The Tauranga based Trustpower TECT rescue helicopter was dispatched just after 7am to Kaingaroa Forest, where it airlifted the van driver, who was in a serious condition, to Waikato Hospital.

A police northern communications spokesman said the crash happened on Middle Rd, between the mill and Murupara.

He said police and St John ambulance teams were called to the scene around 6.40am.

An ambulance north communications spokesman said there were four other occupants who received minor cuts and abrasions.

They were transported to Rotorua Hospital via ambulance.

The van driver, a 48-year-old Minginui resident, received multiple serious injuries to his right leg and both arms.

He was stabilised at the scene by St John ambulance staff, before being flown to Waikato Hospital in a serious condition.

Waikato District Health Board communications director Mary Anne Gill could not confirm the patient's condition.

Last week two, Australian tourists were killed and seven others injured when their van collided with a milk tanker on State Highway 5, south of Settlers Rd in Reporoa.