A lorry driver in his 20s has died after an HGV left the M3, smashed through a bridge barrier and crashed onto a road around 25ft below. Emergency services were called to the M3 at Junction 14, near Eastleigh and the M27 interchange, shortly before 11pm on Tuesday, August 11. The HGV left the motorway before crashing from the bridge onto Chestnut Avenue below. Police, firefighters and specialist paramedics were sent to the scene as a major rescue operation was launched. Crews from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service attended alongside South Central Ambulance Service rapid-response paramedics and a specialist Hazardous Area Response Team. Despite the efforts of emergency services, the driver — a man in his 20s — was pronounced dead at the scene. His family have been informed.
Major emergency operation after HGV leaves M3
Emergency crews worked into the early hours of Wednesday as they dealt with the severely damaged vehicle. Images from the scene show extensive damage to the motorway barrier and the HGV lying below the bridge. 
A large police cordon was established on Chestnut Avenue while emergency personnel worked at the scene. 
Sections of the motorway and surrounding roads were also affected as the emergency response and subsequent investigation continued. A specialist heavy-recovery operation is expected to be required to remove the HGV from beneath the bridge.
Forensic investigation launched
Specialist collision investigators and commercial vehicle officers from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary are carrying out a detailed examination of the scene. 
The investigation is expected to include examination and mapping of the motorway, damaged bridge barrier and HGV as officers work to establish how the vehicle came to leave the carriageway. One motorist has reportedly described seeing a lorry swerving across the M3 before the collision. Police have appealed for witnesses who saw the incident or the HGV in the moments leading up to the crash. Officers are particularly interested in obtaining dashcam footage which may have captured the vehicle before it left the motorway. Anyone who can assist the investigation should contact police on 101, quoting reference 44260389435.
