24/7 crane truck recovery for vehicles in ditches, down embankments, over barriers, and in inaccessible locations. Black Eagle Recovery dispatches specialist Hi-Ab operators across London and the South East.
A Hi-Ab truck (also called a crane lorry or knuckle-boom crane truck) is a flatbed recovery vehicle fitted with a hydraulic crane arm. Unlike a standard flatbed, which requires a vehicle to be winched onto the bed from behind, a Hi-Ab crane can reach over walls, fences, barriers, and into ditches or embankments to lift and recover vehicles that are completely inaccessible to conventional recovery equipment.
Hi-Ab recovery is the solution of last resort for the most challenging breakdown and accident situations — when a vehicle has left the road, rolled over, or ended up somewhere a standard recovery truck simply cannot reach.
Cars and vans that have left the road and are inaccessible to standard flatbeds.
Vehicles that have gone over a barrier or down a slope on a motorway or A-road.
Vehicles stuck in multi-storey car parks, underground car parks, or tight access areas.
Vehicles bogged down in mud, flooded roads, or off-road terrain.
Vehicles that have gone through or over a barrier and cannot be reached from the road.
Cars, vans, and light commercials that have rolled and cannot be righted without a crane.
We arrange Hi-Ab recovery across London and the South East, including all major motorway corridors.
Enter your postcode to find the nearest Black Eagle Recovery area page and the M25 junction that covers you.
Covers all M25 corridor postcodes. For postcodes outside this area, call us directly.
Leave your name, number, and location and one of our in-house team will call you back within minutes. No automated systems — a real person who can help.
In-depth guides from our advice centre
Breaking down is stressful, but knowing exactly what to do can keep you safe and get you back on the road faster. Here is a clear, step-by-step guide covering motorway, A-road and urban breakdowns.
A motorway breakdown is one of the most dangerous situations a driver can face. This guide explains exactly what to do — and what not to do — if you break down on a UK motorway or smart motorway.
How long you wait for breakdown recovery depends on your location, the time of day, the type of breakdown, and the provider you call. This guide gives honest UK response time data, explains what affects wait times, and tells you how to get help faster.
Black Eagle Assistant
24/7 · Instant answers
AI assistant · For emergencies call 0330 520 1620