Two killed in Glenavy crash

Police directing northbound traffic on to Glenavy-Tiwai Rd at Glenarm about 1km from the crash site. Photo: Hamish MacLean
Police directing northbound traffic on to Glenavy-Tiwai Rd at Glenarm about 1km from the crash site. Photo: Hamish MacLean

Two people are dead after a crash on the Waimate Highway, near Glenavy.

St John said two people died at the scene.

Police said the crash happened at Glenavy, between Carrolls Rd and Stangers Rd shorly after 8.30am.

Diversions are in place.

Police said northbound-traffic should use Old Ferry Rd and southbound drivers are being diverted along Glenavy Tawai Rd.

The deaths take the holiday road toll to seven.

It was at 19 last year.

The holiday period this year started at 4pm Friday and ends 6am on January 4.

The other fatal crashes this year were:

• A female driver died in a three car pile-up on SH5 near Hamurana in Rotorua on Sunday.

• A person was killed Sunday on Pourerere Rd in central Hawke's Bay after a car rolled down a bank.

• Boney Biju died on his way home from his 21st birthday party when his car left the road and struck a tree near Hanmer Springs on Christmas Eve.

• Fijian national Lalita Devi was a passenger in a car that crashed on SH14 at Maungatapere on Saturday.

• On Friday. taxi driver Abdul Raheem Fahad Syed (29), died in central Auckland when his car was hit by another.