Tanker driver in hospital after crash in gorge

ROBERT CHARLES/Taranaki Daily News

ACCIDENT SCENE: Two cranes removed the tanker and the road was restricted to a single lane for the day following the accident.

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A tanker driver is in hospital after rolling his vehicle into the Awakino River yesterday morning.

The south-bound tanker was carrying a load of whey when the driver lost control on a corner in the Awakino Gorge, plunging down a bank into the river about 9am.

The driver, a 42-year-old Tauranga man, was taken to Waikato Hospital with suspected broken ribs and head injuries.

Last night a hospital spokeswoman said the man was in the hospital's emergency room in a stable condition.

Between 1500 to 2000 litres of whey were spilled into the river but an Environment Waikato spokesman said there was not expected to be significant damage to the environment as the whey would quickly dilute.

The tanker, which left long skid marks back up the road and around the corner, had landed on its wheels in the river.

Mokau police constable Daniel Walters said he thought the landing had prevented a worse spill.

Police are investigating the cause of the crash.

A small section of the gorge was reduced to a single lane for much of the day while the wreckage was pulled from the river, causing delays for motorists.

At times both lanes were shut causing traffic to back up in the gorge. Workers spent about six hours carefully recovering the tanker from a difficult position.

Another tanker was brought in to take the rest of the crashed tanker's whey and then two large cranes, one carrying an extra 12 tonne counterweight, were used to pull the wreckage up in three pieces and load them onto trucks for removal. The road was fully re-opened about 6pm.

- © Fairfax NZ News