31 May 2014

Three dead in South Island crash

8:24 pm on 31 May 2014

Three people are dead after a crash in Rakaia, south of Ashburton, on Saturday afternoon.

Police say two vehicles collided on Thompsons Track, at the intersection of Somerton Road, at about 4pm.

It brings the holiday road toll to four, after one person died in a head-on collision in Coromandel on Friday night.

They say one of the vehicles had four occupants; three in that vehicle have died, while the fourth has been taken to hospital by rescue helicopter.

The other vehicle had one occupant, who is being treated in hospital for minor injuries.

In the North Island, a child and one other person have been seriously injured in a crash in south Waikato.

Police say a car and a motorcycle collided on State Highway 5 at Tapapa.

The motorcyclist and a 12-year-old passenger in the car were flown to hospital.