A body has been recovered from inside a submerged ute in Lake Dunstan, near Cromwell.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Emergency services were called to Deadman's Point Bridge on State Highway 8B around 5pm yesterday evening following reports of a vehicle plunging into the water.
In a statement, police said the national dive squad started searching early this afternoon and found the vehicle's sole occupant.
The removal of the ute and the trailer is now under way.
The body has not yet been officially identified and police are investigating on behalf of the coroner.
The vehicle came off the highway on the Cromwell side of the bridge, which crosses over the lake where it meets the Clutha River.
Police said the ute was travelling out of the township at the time.
A Fire and Emergency spokesperson said both the ute and trailer were submerged, upside down, about 5m under water.
The spokesperson said two appliances and a support vehicle from Cromwell went to the scene about 5.15 pm yesterday. St John sent a vehicle and helicopter but no one was assessed at the scene.
The bridge is the main route into the township off SH8 and connects Cromwell to Clyde in the south and Canterbury through the Lindis Pass in the north.
A scene guard was in place overnight. A police cordon has been lifted.