Police are investigating a crash which left four people dead and eight injured, including a baby.
Two cars crashed at the intersection of State Highway 1 and and Tutukau Rd - near the popular Orakei Korako geothermal area – at 3.15pm.
Two of the injured people are in critical condition and the others are in a serious condition or have moderate injuries.
Four rescue helicopters have taken the injured to Waikato and Rotorua hospitals.
Philips Search and Rescue Trust says those injured included a 10-month-old baby, a man in his forties with multiple injuries, and a 42-year-old woman with chest and abdominal injuries.
The Tauranga-based Trustpower TECT Rescue Helicopter was one of the four helicopters which flew injured patients to hospital.
NZ Fire, NZ Police and St John's were all in attendance, along with the Hamilton-based Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter, the Rotorua-basedBayTrust Rescue Helicopter and the Taupo-based Greenlea Rescue Helicopter, says a spokesperson for the rescue helicopter.
'The Trustpower TECT Rescue Helicopter airlifted a 17-year-old Palmerston North, who had suffered multiple injuries, to Rotorua Hospital.”
The highway was closed for several hours, but is now open.
2 comments
Big wakeup call
Posted on 11-10-2017 08:58 | By Papamoaner
3 choppers on the road says it all. Time for a culture change. On reflection, I probably overtake when I don't really need to. I often notice we all arrive around the same time anyway, so what's the point in rushing? Why do we do it? Competitive nature of the human animal! That has to be the answer. I am determined to modify my driving behaviour now. We all should. The consequences are unthinkable. 4 dead and 8 injured. Some of those injured could end up in a wheelchair for the rest of their lives. Think about that !
What a shame...
Posted on 11-10-2017 15:07 | By unltd1nfantry
...that these horrific accidents will continue to happen. There are radical solutions out there but they just aren't feasible (further speed limit reductions/barriers between roads/etc/...) People make mistakes... could of been a distraction, a fatigued driver, an animal or act of nature, medical condition.... whatever it was.... these tragic events will continue forever... the faster you go the bigger the mess! Who's next?
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