Fatal two - car crash near Kawakawa

Northland Rescue Helicopters airlifted four people to Whangarei Hospital after a crash near Kawakawa in which one man died.

A man has died in a two vehicle crash and four others were airlifted to Whangarei Hospital, two of them seriously injured. It is understood one is an elderly woman.

The man died at the scene south of Kawakawa where two cars collided and flipped off State Highway 1 at about 4.30pm.

Two Northland Rescue Helicopters attended, along with ambulances.

All four passengers - three in one car and one in the other - were trapped and needed to be freed by emergency crews.

A Fire and Emergency spokesman said fire crews from Paihia and Kawakawa attended the scene to help with freeing ''multiple trapped occupants'' .

Police said at 7pm last night the road remained closed with diversions in place through Mangakahia Rd, also known as State Highway 13.

Mainstream traffic heading south was fairly heavy but it was expected local traffic detoured around the blocked road between Waiomio and Kawakawa via Ruapekapeka.

Yesterday's road fatality follows the death of teenager who died in a crash at Kokopu Rd on November 2.

Northland's road toll so far this year is now 29. Last year 41 people died on the region's roads.