A six-month-old Australian boy left fighting for his life after being thrown from a van in a holiday crash that left eight people injured is now in a serious but stable condition in hospital.
However, a man in his 30s remains in a critical condition in Hawke's Bay Hospital after the crash on a remote stretch of State Highway 5 between Napier and Taupo on Thursday morning.
Police say it was lucky no one was killed when the van plunged down a 10-metre bank and landed on its roof, leaving it partially crushed.
A man climbed up the bank carrying the baby and waved down passing motorists.
The remaining six people, including three men, one woman and two girls, were trapped in the van and had to be rescued before being winched up the bank and taken to hospital.
The condition of the two girls, aged eight and nine, has improved and both are listed as serious but stable.
A woman in her 30s is also in a serious but stable condition, while the remaining three men - one aged in his 40s, another in his 30s and one in his 20s - are all in a stable condition.
The road was closed for five hours while emergency services dealt with the crash, and three rescue helicopters were involved.
The six-month-old boy was from Melbourne, Radio New Zealand reports.
Five passengers from Australia were travelling from Auckland to Hawke's Bay with three New Zealand family members, the broadcaster said.
The Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter was one of those that attended the crash.
The pilot, Jeremy Bruce, says it appears the driver fell asleep at the wheel.
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