21-year-old car crash victim survived three-storey fall just two years prior

Police said inquiries into the crash were still ongoing. Photo / File

A 21-year-old who died following a crash near Kaikoura had survived a three-storey fall from a university accommodation building just two years ago.

The victim, Wilson Murray of Marlborough, died when a truck and car collided just before 6am last Tuesday on State Highway 1 at Hapuku. A second person was reported to have minor injuries.

Location of the accident scene at Hapuku north of Kaikōura. Photo / Google Maps

In 2020, Murray had been at Christchurch's Ilam Apartments, run by Campus Living villages, leaning against a window grille when it broke, causing him to fall a terrifying three storeys, Stuff reported.

The then 19-year-old engineering student spent six days in a coma and woke to learn he had a brain injury, a fractured vertebra, fractured ribs and a punctured lung.

Emergency services were called to the apartments about 2.20am on March 20, the same day New Zealand went into a nationwide lockdown.

Murray described waking up to the world in lockdown to Stuff as "confusing, to say the least".

He was in the hospital for five weeks receiving intense rehabilitation before returning home.

Murray was remembered by Canterbury Team Sailing via Facebook earlier this week which said they will never forget him and the energy that he brought to Canterbury sailing.

"Wilson was a role model to all his sailing peers and his smile will be missed by everyone," the group shared.

Police said in a statement regarding the fatal crash: "Our thoughts and condolences are with Wilson's loved ones."

Inquiries into the circumstances of the crash were ongoing, police said.