One person is dead and another is in a critical condition after a crash in Ohaeawai, Northland, last night.

A Toyota double-cab ute, carrying five people, and a Nissan double-cab ute collided on State Highway 1 near the intersection with Bulman Rd about 10.30pm on Friday, May 12.

Police say two Northland men in their 20s were ejected from the vehicle which rolled during the incident.

One man died at the scene, and the other was airlifted to Auckland Hospital where he underwent surgery and is reportedly in a critical condition.

A third passenger, a teen, was taken to Bay of Islands Hospital in Kawakawa with moderate injuries to his hand.

The driver of the Toyota and the remaining passenger, along with the driver of the Nissan, were treated for minor injuries at the scene.

'There is clear evidence that the wearing of seatbelts lessens the risk of injury in a rollover crash such as this,” says Acting Sergeant Julian Trinder.

'We implore everyone to take the time to ensure that their seatbelt is correctly fastened, before they start their journey, so that they can reach their destination safely."

A Police Serious Crash Unit investigation is underway to establish the cause of the crash, and Police cannot rule out the possibility of charges being laid.

Northland Police would also like to hear from anyone who may have witnessed the crash, or who may have come across it shortly after it happened.