A driver had a lucky escape yesterday when his truck careered over the safety barriers of the Crown Range and fell part way down the cliff.
The man was airlifted to Lakes District Hospital by helicopter after the incident at 10am near Arrow Junction between Queenstown and Wanaka.
The truck, which had been carrying gravel, came to a stop upside down, 7m down the cliff.
Police closed the road for a brief time and Fire and Emergency New Zealand crews ensured the vehicle would not roll further down the mountain.
Cromwell police commercial vehicle safety team Constable Phil Beckworth said the driver was lucky to make it out alive.
He said the initial findings were the driver had lost control when coming down the steep incline and around several bends.
"He's a very lucky young man. The latest update was he is fine, but he has had a knock to the head that they are assessing, and a sore shoulder."
The barrier was largely intact, although showing damage from the impact.
There was nobody else
in the truck.
