Fatal crash closes gorge

A fatal crash in the Karangahake Gorge has closed State Highway 2 between Paeroa and the Bay of Plenty.

Emergency services were called to the scene of the crash on SH2 near the intersection with Rahu Road at about 10.40am.


Photo: File.

Sergeant Dave Raffan says: 'Some responders are still en-route, so we're unable to confirm all the details at this stage.

'But initial information to hand is that one person has died following a collision between two cars in the gorge.

'We also understand two persons may be trapped, but given the geographical location it may be some time before we can confirm this.”

Dave says traffic management staff are on their way to the area to establish diversions, but motorists should expect considerable delay.

'At this point we would advise motorists traveling from the Thames Valley and Waikato heading towards the Bay of Plenty to consider using SH29 over the Kaimai Range,” he adds.

The road is expected to be closed for several hours.

Diversions are in place and southbound traffic heading from Auckland to Tauranga is advised to use SH1-Sh2-Sh24 and Sh29 over the Kaimai Range. Northbound traffic is being diverted via a reverse of this route.

Traffic in Coromandel is being diverted via SH25A and SH26.

This is the third serious crash on the stretch of highway in as many days.

A woman was serious injured yesterday when her car ploughed through a fence just before 7.50am.

On Tuesday, a vehicle rolled on the highway closing the road for a couple of hours. Luckily no-on was injured in the crash. Read more here.

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