Bismon Xavier, 30, and Minoj Haridas, 31, have been named as the men who died after a crash with a milk tanker on State Highway 2, near the intersection of Wilson Road, on December 28.

Both men are from Kerala in India but had been living in Rotorua at the time of the crash.

Two people died after a crash with a milk tanker on December 28.

Bismon Xavier died at the scene and Minoj Haridas died in hospital from injuries he sustained in the crash.

A 28-year-old woman remains in critical condition in Waikato Hospital and another, a 42-year-old Rotorua woman, remains in a stable condition in Tauranga Hospital.

At the time of the accident, Western Bay of Plenty area commander Inspector Clifford Paxton said the VW Golf carrying the five people turned right out of Wilson Road to travel south, before crashing with a truck and trailer unit heading north.

'The car was struck by the northbound truck and trailer, which has moved the vehicle quite a considerable distance down the road,” he says.

Police say they are still investigating the crash.