Lucky escape for truck driver after truck rolls 80 metres down hill

The Wellington-based Westpac Rescue Helicopter helped rescue a truck driver from the Marlborough Sounds this morning.

 

The helicopter, with a Wellington Free Ambulance paramedic onboard, responded to the mission at around 7am. 

 

The accident occurred on Tumbledown Bay Road (NB I'm not kidding!) in Port Underwood.

 

On the helicopter's arrival we saw a logging truck that had rolled approximately 80 metres down a hill.  The local fire brigade was on scene and several of the fire officers had climbed down the steep hill to reach the truck and it's driver.

 

Our paramedic was winched down to the scene and found a 42 year old Christchurch man who had survived the roll down the hill and managed to get himself out of the truck. 

 

"Once our paramedic was down at the scene we winched down additional equipment and then landed nearby while Aaron and the fire crews stabilised the man and secured him in the winch stretcher" says Dave Greenberg, Westpac Rescue Helicopter crewman.  "The winching was relatively straight forward even through the stretcher was in a difficult spot.  The fire crews did an amazing job down there to help us out".

 

Once the patient was secured the paramedic and patient were winched back to the helicopter and after landing briefly he was transported to Wellington Hospital.  We arrived at hospital at about 0830.

The man is suffering from multiple injuries including to his chest and pelvis.

 

He is currently being treated in Wellington Hospital Emergency Department.

 

Small version of picture from scene attached - call us if you need a larger version - photo credit : Westpac Rescue Helicopter