HOPE (NEWS 1130) – A truck driver is recovering in the hospital with broken bones and some other injuries related to a crash east of Hope that left him trapped in the crushed cab of his truck for two days.
The semi-trailer was spotted over the side of Highway 3 near the western entrance of Manning Park early Thursday and the rescue of the driver wasn’t completed until around 11 p.m.
Crews say the man’s survival is remarkable because Mounties say the wreckage was hidden from view since the big rig went off the road and down a steep embankment on Tuesday.
“This was a very challenging rescue operation, and the RCMP wishes to express its appreciation for all those who participated to help extricate the driver and bring him to safety,” says BC RCMP Traffic Services Constable Melissa Wutke.
Rescuers had to use long-lines and say the cab of the truck was curled under the fully loaded trailer, which had to be stabilized from the highway while crews cut through the bottom of the cab to pull the injured man out.
Wutke says the cause of crash remains under investigation.