TRUCK PLUNGES INTO RIVER

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29330, 8 October 1960, Page 15

TRUCK PLUNGES INTO RIVER

400 Men Search For Occupants (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, October 7. About 400 men searched the banks at the Waikato river near Taupo this afternoon in a vain attempt to find a truck suspected to contain the body of one. perhaps more, of their work mates. A heavy truck driven by a married man whose name has not been released plunged into the river at Araitiatia about 1 o’clock this afternoon. It crashed through protective railings on toe Bailey bridge approach at the head of the diversion cut on the Aratiatia hydro scheme. The control gates ait Taupo were closed to lower toe river level. The searchers covered three miles searching in vain for a sign of the vehicle or its occupants. A skin diver from Aratiatia, Mr B. Green, went into the icy cold water in the pool at the lower end of the diversion. As darkness closed in oil flecks were seen in the pool. It is planhed to cut the flow of the river to 500 cusecs tomorrow and make a concentrated search in the limited period of low flow.