A TRUCK driver has been winched to safety by the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue this afternoon after being trapped on the top of his truck in flood waters for more than 14 hours.
The Korean man, aged in his 40s, tried to drive his removalist truck through flood waters south of Miles at about 11pm last night, when his vehicle became trapped.
The man climbed on top of the truck and waited for over 13 hours before being discovered.
Queensland Police Service and Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) paramedics were first on the scene, followed by the Flood and Swiftwater Rescue team.
The Toowoomba based RACQ LifeFlight Rescue crew was sent to the scene at 12.20pm, after Swiftwater Rescuers determined they were unable to safely reach the man.
The crew landed on the roadside to consult with police, who notified them that the man was about 300m from Undulla Creek.
After taking off again, the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue crew was able to locate the man and his vehicle and winched a paramedic down to retrieve the patient.
The man was fitted with a rescue harness and winched back on board the hovering helicopter. He was then airlifted back to the road, where QAS paramedics treated him.
The patient suffered from suspected dehydration, but was uninjured.
The dramatic rescue comes as an important reminder to Queensland drivers to avoid even attempting to drive through flood waters.
“This is an example of why if it is flooded, motorists should absolutely forget it,” RACQ spokesperson Renee Smith said. “This man is extremely lucky to alive. When a motorist enters flood waters he or she is putting not only their life at risk, but the lives of emergency service personnel. If there is water on the road, find an alternative route or wait until the route is clear.”
