One person is dead and eight others have been hospitalised - five with serious injuries - after a van rolled near Winton in Southland early yesterday.
Emergency services were alerted after the van rolled near Gap Road West on the Winton Lorneville Highway, State Highway 6, about 4.45am.
A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesman said two crews from Winton Volunteer Fire Brigade attended the crash and extracted one passenger from the vehicle.
One person died at the scene and the remaining eight passengers had moderate to serious injuries.
A St John spokeswoman said five people were airlifted to Dunedin Hospital with serious injuries. Three people were taken to Southland Hospital with moderate injuries.
Police were unable to comment on whether the occupants of the car were tourists or locals. The Winton Volunteer Fire Brigade also declined to comment.
Police said the Serious Crash Unit was investigating and asked for anyone who saw the accident or had any information to contact them.
