A man has died after a serious crash involving eight people in South Canterbury.
Emergency services were alerted at 7.23am today to the crash involving two vehicles on the Twizel-Tekapo Rd in Pukaki.
Police late this afternoon confirmed that a 70-year-old man had died.
Earlier, St John said four people were flown to Dunedin Hospital with serious injuries.
Another patient had been flown to Christchurch Hospital, while two people were taken to Timaru Hospital via ambulance. Their conditions were listed by St John as moderate to minor.
One person was not injured, police said.
A Fire and Emergency NZ spokesperson said two people had to be extricated from the vehicles. Crews from Twizel and Lake Tekapo attended.
Three ambulances and three helicopters were sent to the scene.
The Twizel-Tekapo Rd on State Highway 8 in the Mackenzie Country was closed for most of the day but was open again by 5pm.
The Serious Crash Unit attended and investigations were continuing, police said.
