Six hurt at Waipapakauri
Six people were moderately to seriously hurt, with broken bones, fractured ribs, internal and other injuries in a head-on collision between two cars on West Coast Rd, Waipapakauri Ramp, just before noon on Friday.
Several of the occupants had to be cut free from the wreckage of the vehicles by Kaitaia Fire Brigade crews.
All were treated at the scene by St John medics before a Northland rescue helicopter arrived to ferry two of the most seriously hurt to Whangarei Hospital, where they underwent surgery.
A third person was transferred to Whangarei by ambulance on Saturday, while the others were admitted to Kaitaia Hospital.
Two of them were discharged on Friday evening.
The Waipapakauri Ramp man who was driving a Nissan Murano towards the village, with his wife and a second adult passenger, collided with the other car, believed by police to have been driven by an Asian tourist with two adult passengers.
The point of impact was off the road on the Nissan’s left, completely clear of the westbound lane.
Two of the occupants of the Mitsubishi were freed by firefighters, while the Nissan driver’s wife, who was in the back seat, was the last to be extricated. She did not appear to be trapped but was unable to move.
She was finally freed from the vehicle at 12.40pm, just before the rescue helicopter, with two firefighters from Whangarei aboard, landed in the Snapper Bonanza weigh-in parking area across the road.
She subsequently underwent surgery in Whangarei, and is expected to make a full recovery.
Her husband discharged.
Two small dogs that were in the Nissan, one of which the driver suspected had “broken something”, were examined by a Kaitaia veterinarian at the scene.
Later in the day they were reported to be happy and comfortable at the vet clinic, with no serious injuries.
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