Car plummets 30 metres into river

Press, 1 April 1985, Page 1

Car plummets 30 metres into river

Queenstown correspondent A Central Otago man was injured when the car he was driving plunged 30 metres down a cliff into the Kawarau River yesterday.

Alexander James Anderson, aged 37, of Alexandra, managed to scramble from the rapidly submerging car and swim ashore. He was reported in a satisfactory condition in Dunstan HosEital, Clyde, yesterday, beeved to be suffering from minor back injuries and shock.

' The accident happened some time between midnight and 2 a.m. yesterday and the police were still trying to ascertain at which point, along the Kawarau Gorgd the car had gone off the road, said Constable D.

G. Harradine, of the Cromwell police, yesterday.

Mr Anderson had been travelling from Arrowtown to Cromwell when the . car in which he was travelling plunged 30 metres into the river. He was extremely lucky to be alive, said Constable Harradine. He was the sole occupant of the car. Mr Anderson managed to scramble tip the slope and on to the road above and was picked up by a motorist and taken to Cromwell Hospital. He was transferred to Dunstan Hospital later yesterday morning.

A search is being made to try to find the car, but there is little hope of its being found, according to the police.