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A man and woman were killed and four other members of the same family injured when a four-wheel-drive rolled yesterday south of Waiouru.
Sergeant Les Clarke of Taihape police said a passing police patrol car found the 4WD resting on its roof on State Highway 1 about 9.40am.
It appeared to have lost control drifting into gravel on the left hand verge of the road, crossed to the right hand side of the road, hit a bank and overturned.
There were no other vehicles involved and police were still investigating the cause.
Driver fatigue or vehicle malfunction may have been contributing factors, he said.
A man and woman both aged 48 died at the scene, Mr Clarke said.
A spokesman from the Lion Foundation rescue helicopter said it was believed the vehicle's occupants were all members of the same family.
Police said three boys aged, nine, eight and five were taken by ambulance to Wanganui hospital with minor injuries and a woman, 27, who was also in sitting in the back seat was flown to the hospital with serious head injuries.
Mr Clarke said the occupants who were from Auckland and of Polynesian descent, had left Auckland about 4am.
There were no witnesses to the accident.
Emergency services closed a section of the highway after the crash but re-opened it early yesterday afternoon.
- NZPA
