Truck driver impaled by tree, pinned to seat

Doctors attend to a truck driver who was impaled by a tree trunk during a collision in Kaifeng, Henan province on April 6. Photo: Dahe Daily

A truck driver miraculously survived a gruesome accident where he was impaled by a tree on April 6 in Kaifeng, Henan province.

The 40-year-old victim, surnamed Li from Liaoning province, is recovering at the Henan University Huaihe Hospital , where it took doctors four and a half hours to remove the 6-meter-long tree trunk from his torso.

Li was pierced by the trunk measuring ten centimeters in diameter after his vehicle rear-ended a truck loaded with trees and other landscaping on the Kaifeng section of Lianyungang-Horgos Highway early on April 6.

According to police reports, the trunk shot through the windshield, pierced Li's stomach and pinned him to his seat.

Rescuers removed the car seat with Li still seated in it before transporting him to the hospital.

Doctors said Li sustained serious organ and tissue damage from the accident.