One dead in ditch crash

A person has died after a car crashed into a ditch, in the small settlement of Pongaroa in Tararua District overnight.

No other vehicles were involved in the crash, which occurred on Route 52, about two kilometres south of the Pahiatua Road intersection, at 12.10am on Saturday.

One occupant died at the scene, while one survivor was critically injured and the other suffered minor injuries.

The Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter was sent to the crash site, but poor weather prevented it landing.

‘‘We had to drop our paramedic off in Pongaroa Domain, and then they were transported to the site by land because we just could not set down at the site,’’ a St John ambulance spokesman said.

Ambulance officers stabilised one of the occupants, who had lifethreatening injuries, before they could be driven to the helicopter ‘‘a couple of minutes’’ away.

They were flown to Palmerston North Hospital, while an ambulance took the patient with minor injuries there.

Police and the fire service also attended.

A police spokeswoman said the serious crash unit was investigating.