Four die, 8 hurt in crash

Four people have died and eight others are injured after a two-car crash north of Taupo¯.

Emergency services airlifted a 10-month-old baby, a man in his 40s and a 42-year-old woman with chest and abdominal injuries to Waikato Hospital and a 17-year-old female from Palmerston North to Rotorua Hospital.

The other patients were transported to hospital by road ambulance. The crash was understood to be at the end of a south travelling passing lane, 1km south of the intersection of State Highway One and Tutukau Road, Oruanui. The fatalities lifted this year’s road toll to 297.

Acting district road police Senior Sergeant Nicky Cooney confirmed the head-on collision, involved 12 people.

Three of the people who died were from one car, while one was from the other, Cooney said.

‘‘Eight people have been seriously injured. Two of the eight are in critical condition and have been flown to Waikato Hospital,’’ she said.

‘‘The remaining six were either flown by helicopter or driven by ambulance to Rotorua and Waikato hospitals.’’

The Fire Service was alerted to the crash between Taupo¯ and Tokoroa at 3.15pm yesterday.

The crash blocked both lanes and motorists were being asked to use either SH5 or SH30 to avoid the crash scene.

This is the best opportunity to reinforce the message around driving conditions such as the environment and weather, Cooney said.

‘‘This is an absolute tragedy that four people have lost their lives,’’ she said. ‘‘The police will work tirelessly to investigate the cause of the crash. It’s clear they have impacted head-on.’’

Taupo Mayor David Trewavas had been co-ordinating with police and confirmed two people movers collided about 20km north of Taupo.

‘‘Police believe the people involved are New Zealanders. It’s real unfortunate, it’s a combination of the school holidays and busy traffic, a real tragedy has unfolded here – I don’t know how it happened.’’

‘‘After the weekend, people please take your time, Taupo is always going to be here even if you arrive five minutes late,’’ he said.

Trewavas said the area has had some horrific incidents in the past.

‘‘We’ve seen multiple fatalities like this before, not in this exact spot but within the vicinity.’’

The crash follows a lethal weekend of crashes, where nine people died and another 10 were injured.