Emergency services were engaged for seven hours to rescue a truck driver trapped following a severe collision involving two B-double trucks on the Hume Highway in the NSW Southern Tablelands. The incident occurred around 1.15 am, approximately 35 kilometres east of Yass near Gunning.
Authorities reported that one truck veered off the road and rolled over, subsequently being struck from behind by another truck. Tragically, the 30-year-old driver of the first truck died at the scene, while the second driver sustained critical injuries and required extensive efforts to be extricated from the wreckage. Fire and Rescue crews indicated the driver had suffered impalement, necessitating an airlift to Canberra Hospital.
NSW Police Inspector David Cowell described the scene as “horrendous,” with debris scattered over a wide area. Due to the severity of the crash, all southbound traffic was diverted to alternate routes, and a crime scene was established to facilitate an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. A report regarding the deceased driver will be submitted to the coroner, marking his death as the 34th fatality on NSW roads this year.