Two vans crashed minutes apart on icy South Otago roads yesterday morning.
A van carrying six shearers from Milton and Balclutha became airborne before it crashed down a steep bank off Old Coach Rd near the Clinton Gorge about 6.15am.
Senior Constable Richard Whitmore, of Clinton, said a man and woman were airlifted to Dunedin Hospital, apparently with serious injuries.
Two more passengers were taken to Dunedin Hospital by ambulance with moderate injuries and two were taken to Invercargill with moderate injuries.
''It was a fairly serious crash,'' Snr Const Whitmore said.
''We're very lucky there wasn't more serious injury.''
The van was travelling south towards Mataura when it appeared to have struck ice, Snr Const Whitmore said.
The driver lost control and left the left side of the road.
The van crashed through a concrete fence post and stopped on its driver's side, facing back towards Clinton.
Emergency services from Clinton, Balclutha and Gore attended, Snr Const Whitmore said.
It took fire and rescue crews an hour and a-half to free two occupants.
''The van was extensively damaged ... the jaws of life were used to cut the roof off.''
The road was closed until 10.30am.
Minutes later a van carrying six shearers lost control on the ice and slid off the road on SH1 near Whitiker Rd at 6.20am.
The driver and five passengers only suffered minor injuries in the crash and were taken to hospital in Balclutha as a precaution.
