A man has tragically died after a truck plunged off a cliff near Meredith, triggering a large-scale emergency response on Monday morning.
The accident happened shortly after 8am on Slate Quarry Rd at Bamganie, near the Moorabool River, when the vehicle carrying eight racehorses reportedly left the road on a sweeping bend.
A Victoria Police spokesperson confirmed the truck overturned near a steep embankment.
By around 9am, more than 11 emergency service vehicles had arrived at the scene, with specialist rope rescue crews working to reach the driver who was trapped inside the cabin.
“Crews attempted to treat the driver at the scene but he could not be revived,” the police spokesman said.
Authorities expect Slate Quarry Rd to remain closed for an extended period while investigations into the incident are carried out.
Emergency crews, including SES personnel and firefighters, continued working to recover the vehicle well into the day, with a crane being used to lift the truck back up the embankment.
The vehicle had been carrying eight horses trained by Patrick Payne when the crash occurred. Two horses died on the scene with the remaining six horses having been taken to local vets to assess their injuries.
Police confirmed WorkSafe has also been notified following the man’s death.
