The single-car crash occurred about 9pm yesterday, on SH5 near Waipunga Falls. Photo / Bay of Plenty & Taupo Police
The single-car crash occurred about 9pm yesterday, on SH5 near Waipunga Falls. Photo / Bay of Plenty & Taupo Police
A young father had to scramble up a bank to alert emergency services after spending a night trapped with his partner and baby following a crash near Taupo.
The single-car crash occurred about 9pm yesterday, on State Highway 5 near Waipunga Falls but emergency services weren't alerted until this morning,after the dad climbed up to the roadside.
In a post on the Bay of Plenty & Taupo Police Facebook page, it was reported that fire services abseiled down to the family, and a helicopter deployed a longline to winch the couple and their baby to safety.
Senior Constable Dave Wells said it was a good result all round.
"Thanks to the resilience of the family and the response of our emergency services everyone is accounted for and there were no serious injuries," he said.
"We also want to thank motorists for their patience as we closed the road.
"Have a safe Queen's Birthday on the roads and look out for each other."
Earlier today it was reported two people, who were trapped 100 metres down a bank after a crash, had been rescued.
The pair understood to be a woman and a child were brought up to the side of the road and were treated for moderate injuries.
A third person, who made it out of the vehicle earlier, only had minor injuries.
While temperatures didn't reach freezing in the Taupo area last night, MetService meteorologist Lisa Murray said the family would have had to deal with around 10C temperatures, heavy rain and thunderstorms during their stay in the vehicle.
Fire and Emergency NZ Hawke's Bay area commander Ken Cooper said the response was reasonably well co-ordinated, and it was "just a case of bringing the people to safety".
The road was closed as the rescue took place but opened at 11.50am.
