MIRACULOUS ESCAPE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 190, 24 July 1940, Page 5

MIRACULOUS ESCAPE

TRUCK FALLS IN RIVER £UP-SIDE-D0 WN IN DEEP WATER The eerie light from a single headlamp, which showed above the wate.r in the Waimana River at Waiohou Gorge last Mon-< day evening' was the sole evi- • dence that a car had left the) road and plunged into the stream some thirty feet below. .A, traveller on the. tortuous road had Ms attention arrested by the ghostly glow and having ascertained that it was a car, notified the -police^ The Whakatane police, together •»vith a break-down van were soon on the spot and the discovery of <jne or two articles of clothing float ing in the vicinity lent further •credence to .the belief that several victims were still in the cab under Avater. Over an hour was spent in Ttrying to right the truck in the swift running water in order to ■ discover possible occupants. Later ihe police made enquiries and learnt that the owner of the truck ilived at Waiohou. Maori Driver's Story. It was learnt from the driver Mr Rua Hiki, and his passenger Peter Paul also of Waiohou, that they were proceeding through the gorge when the road suddenly became enveloped in mist. The course was' completely obliterated and in spite of cautious driving the car left the /road and toppled thirty feet into 'the river below. It landed on the ilioofl, :and • the two men were trap'r rpedsup to their necks in the ice cold •water which was rising as the vehicle settled down. Window Smashed. Prompt action by smashing the .offside Avindow with their boots, 'enabled them to crawl out jtist as •the cab settled in deeper Avater. 'Both men 'extricated themselves and 'the bank Avithout mishap other than a few cuts and slight 'bruises. The car Avas abandoned and -Avithout taking steps to notify' the police, they set off home Avalking 'the intervening seven miles in their -Avet clothing. Neither appeared to lie any the worse for their experience.