A woman has died and a man has been taken to Canberra Hospital in a serious condition after a tow truck crashed in the Snowy Mountains overnight.

Emergency services were called to Snowy Mountains Highway at Kiandra, south-east of Talbingo, about 7.30pm, Saturday 8 July, responding to reports a tow truck – which had been towing a ute – had left the road and slid down an embankment.

NSW Ambulance paramedics and officers from Monaro Police District arrived to find a woman passenger travelling in the truck cabin had died, with the male driver trapped.

They worked to release the 54-year-old driver before he was taken to Canberra Hospital in a serious condition.

The owner of the ute, a 29-year-old woman, and her young son – who were travelling in the back seat of the truck – escaped with minor injuries. They’ve been taken to Cooma Hospital to be checked as a precaution.

The highway was closed between Miles Franklin Drive at Talbingo, and Denison Boundary Trail, near Providence Portal, for more than eight hours.

The crash was cleared and all lanes of the Snowy Mountains Hwy open about 4am with all diversions lifted.