A truck driver remains critically ill in intensive care in Palmerston North Hospital this afternoon, a day after after being impaled by a rowing skiff that smashed through his windscreen.
A hospital spokesman this morning described the 64-year-old man from Waikanae as "critically ill".
The accident happened on State Highway 1 south of Levin yesterday afternoon when a skiff broke loose from its 16m trailer and smashed through the windscreen of a oncoming truck, impaling the driver in his midriff.
Fire crews had to cut the man from the cab and also cut up the skiff, leaving the impaled piece in the driver.
He was airlifted to Palmerston North Hospital by the Palmerston North rescue helicopter.
The driver of the vehicle and trailer continued on his journey unaware what had happened until stopped by police in Foxton. Police initially described the boat as a canoe.
The Wellington Rowing Club released a statement this afternoon about the accident involving one of its skiffs.
Club captain Craig Lawson said everyone at the Wellington Rowing Club was shocked and upset by the incident.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the driver hurt in the accident as well as his family and friends.
"We do not know fully at this stage how the accident occurred. We are working closely with police, investigators and insurers to ascertain as quickly as possible exactly what happened," Mr Lawson said.
Until the police investigation was complete, the club was unable to comment further, he said.
The police serious crash investigation unit is investigating the cause of the crash. It was too soon to say if police would take further action against the driver, a spokeswoman said.
