Two killed in Northland crashes

• Published date: 24 June 2022

The deaths come two days after the Taipa community was left reeling by a fatal crash in the town

Police and the Kaitāia Volunteer Fire Brigade were called to the first road death on SH1 in Kaitāia shortly after 5pm on Thursday.

One person died following the two-vehicle crash near Clough Rd while four others were seriously hurt.

Two people were in a serious condition and the remaining pair were airlifted to hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Kaitāia Volunteer Fire Brigade senior station officer Colin Kitchen confirmed the two vehicles, a people mover and a Forester, collided just up a hill at Pamapuria. He said four adults and four children, including two babies, were involved.

The trapped female driver of the people mover died while being extricated, while three others were flown to Whangārei Hospital.

Kitchen said one vehicle ended up on its roof in a drain, while another was on the other side of the drain.

Crews from the Kaitāia Fire Brigade were still at the scene at 8.15pm while an undertaker arrived to take the body away.

Kitchen described the scene as quite traumatic, given the number of people injured. The rain was pouring when firefighters arrived, he said.

The woman’s death will be referred...