Three tourists killed in 'catastrophic' crash in South Canterbury
SAM SHERWOOD, MARK QUINLIVAN, and JONATHAN GUILDFORD20:50, Mar 08 2019
MYTCHALL BRANSGROVE/STUFF
A crash near the South Canterbury town of Tekapo has killed three tourists and injured another five.
Three Chinese tourists killed in a head-on crash in South Canterbury were all members of one family.
Three people died and another five were injured after a four-wheel drive collided with a rental car on Braemar Rd, between its intersection with Tekapo-Twizel Rd (State Highway 8) and Hayman Rd about 10.55am on Friday.
A Chinese Consulate spokeswoman said police told her the three dead were part of a family of five adults from China in a car that collided with a four-wheel drive.
MYTCHALL BRANSGROVE/STUFF
Senior Sergeant Anthony Callon said the crash had occurred on the brow of a small hill.
The spokeswoman said the consulate had spoken with one of the two surviving family members, who were currently in Dunedin Hospital, about informing their family in China about the crash.
READ MORE:
* Four fatal crashes in 24 hours a 'horrific' start to Christmas
* Husband saw wife's fatal crash off the side of a road
* Man dead in third fatal crash in Canterbury in five days
"We need to get their permission to contact their family members, at this moment we haven't got confirmation from the injured people at this very panicked situation, they need time to figure out their situation."
MYTCHALL BRANSGROVE/STUFF
The road is unsealed and a popular scenic detour taking in the edge of Lake Pukaki.
The spokeswoman would not say when the family had arrived in the country or their ages.
Speaking to the media near the scene, Senior Sergeant Anthony Callon said the crash had occurred on the brow of a small hill. All the occupants of both cars were wearing seatbelts, he said.
"Any crash is an absolute tragedy, and in this case three people have died. It doesn't get much worse than that.
MYTCHALL BRANSGROVE/STUFF
Three Chinese tourists were killed in the crash.
"This is going to leave a scar on a lot of people's lives now - it's not just the people involved in the crash. It's the emergency workers but also the people who were first on the scene, so we extend our condolences to all those people involved."
Do you know more? Email [email protected]
Inside the boot of the rental car was two suitcases and several bags, one with a Jetstar carry-on tag.
Tekapo crash: 3 dead and five injured
Share
Play Video
STUFF
A head-on crash on a gravel road near Tekapo has killed three people and injured five others.
Braemar Station Shearers Lodge owner Hamish Mackenzie arrived at the scene shortly after the crash, where he saw a rental car sideways on the road "all mangled up".
"It was a head-on between some tourists and a logging crew ... a double-cab sort of thing."
The crash was a "sickening" mess, which had left him "shaken up".
MYTCHALL BRANSGROVE/STUFF
The Serious Crash Unit inspects one of the two cars.
"I've never seen anything that catastrophic.
"It took a bit to sink in. When you see that sort of thing so close to home you certainly get shaken up from it."
Braemar Rd "deserved respect" from motorists, he said. The road is unsealed and a popular scenic detour taking in the edge of Lake Pukaki.
HELICOPTERS OTAGO/SUPPLIED
Three people have died in a crash involving two vehicles near Lake Pukaki in South Canterbury.
"It's a gravel road, with blind corners and blind hills you come over the top of, and if you're not on the left hand side of it, there's a fairly big risk."
A Harmer Earthmoving Ltd employee said he was speaking to police at the scene of the crash and declined to comment further.
St John spokesman Gerard Campbell said three people in a serious condition were taken to Dunedin Hospital by helicopter and two in a moderate condition were taken by ambulance to Timaru Hospital.
HELICOPTERS OTAGO
Three patients were in a serious condition, two patients were in a moderate condition.
On Friday afternoon, Southern District Health Board (DHB) spokeswoman Nicola Mutch said one patient was in a critical condition, one in a serious condition and another was still being assessed.
South Canterbury District Health Board spokeswoman Natasha Hoskins said the patients taken to Timaru Hospital requested privacy, so status updates were unavailable.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesman Andrew Norris said about 12 firefighters from Tekapo and Twizel were sent to the scene.
Stuff
SAM SHERWOOD, MARK QUINLIVAN, and JONATHAN GUILDFORD20:50, Mar 08 2019
MYTCHALL BRANSGROVE/STUFF
A crash near the South Canterbury town of Tekapo has killed three tourists and injured another five.
Three Chinese tourists killed in a head-on crash in South Canterbury were all members of one family.
Three people died and another five were injured after a four-wheel drive collided with a rental car on Braemar Rd, between its intersection with Tekapo-Twizel Rd (State Highway 8) and Hayman Rd about 10.55am on Friday.
A Chinese Consulate spokeswoman said police told her the three dead were part of a family of five adults from China in a car that collided with a four-wheel drive.
MYTCHALL BRANSGROVE/STUFF
Senior Sergeant Anthony Callon said the crash had occurred on the brow of a small hill.
The spokeswoman said the consulate had spoken with one of the two surviving family members, who were currently in Dunedin Hospital, about informing their family in China about the crash.
READ MORE:
* Four fatal crashes in 24 hours a 'horrific' start to Christmas
* Husband saw wife's fatal crash off the side of a road
* Man dead in third fatal crash in Canterbury in five days
"We need to get their permission to contact their family members, at this moment we haven't got confirmation from the injured people at this very panicked situation, they need time to figure out their situation."
MYTCHALL BRANSGROVE/STUFF
The road is unsealed and a popular scenic detour taking in the edge of Lake Pukaki.
The spokeswoman would not say when the family had arrived in the country or their ages.
Speaking to the media near the scene, Senior Sergeant Anthony Callon said the crash had occurred on the brow of a small hill. All the occupants of both cars were wearing seatbelts, he said.
"Any crash is an absolute tragedy, and in this case three people have died. It doesn't get much worse than that.
MYTCHALL BRANSGROVE/STUFF
Three Chinese tourists were killed in the crash.
"This is going to leave a scar on a lot of people's lives now - it's not just the people involved in the crash. It's the emergency workers but also the people who were first on the scene, so we extend our condolences to all those people involved."
Do you know more? Email [email protected]
Inside the boot of the rental car was two suitcases and several bags, one with a Jetstar carry-on tag.
Tekapo crash: 3 dead and five injured
Share
Play Video
STUFF
A head-on crash on a gravel road near Tekapo has killed three people and injured five others.
Braemar Station Shearers Lodge owner Hamish Mackenzie arrived at the scene shortly after the crash, where he saw a rental car sideways on the road "all mangled up".
"It was a head-on between some tourists and a logging crew ... a double-cab sort of thing."
The crash was a "sickening" mess, which had left him "shaken up".
MYTCHALL BRANSGROVE/STUFF
The Serious Crash Unit inspects one of the two cars.
"I've never seen anything that catastrophic.
"It took a bit to sink in. When you see that sort of thing so close to home you certainly get shaken up from it."
Braemar Rd "deserved respect" from motorists, he said. The road is unsealed and a popular scenic detour taking in the edge of Lake Pukaki.
HELICOPTERS OTAGO/SUPPLIED
Three people have died in a crash involving two vehicles near Lake Pukaki in South Canterbury.
"It's a gravel road, with blind corners and blind hills you come over the top of, and if you're not on the left hand side of it, there's a fairly big risk."
A Harmer Earthmoving Ltd employee said he was speaking to police at the scene of the crash and declined to comment further.
St John spokesman Gerard Campbell said three people in a serious condition were taken to Dunedin Hospital by helicopter and two in a moderate condition were taken by ambulance to Timaru Hospital.
HELICOPTERS OTAGO
Three patients were in a serious condition, two patients were in a moderate condition.
On Friday afternoon, Southern District Health Board (DHB) spokeswoman Nicola Mutch said one patient was in a critical condition, one in a serious condition and another was still being assessed.
South Canterbury District Health Board spokeswoman Natasha Hoskins said the patients taken to Timaru Hospital requested privacy, so status updates were unavailable.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesman Andrew Norris said about 12 firefighters from Tekapo and Twizel were sent to the scene.
Stuff
