An eight-year-old girl survived two hours in a submerged vehicle in which her 10-year-old brother died after an accident at a West Coast gold mine tonight.
The vehicle, which rolled into a pond at the mine near Ruatapu in Westland, was driven by the children's father. He managed to escape and run several kilometres to raise the alarm about 7pm.
The girl was rescued by police and firefighters after her two-hour ordeal. She was suffering from hypothermia but was otherwise unharmed.
Police have also recovered the body of the girl's 10 year-old brother from the vehicle.
A scene guard is in place overnight and an investigation into the accident will resume tomorrow.
