Double fatality lifts road toll to five in six days

The scene of a truck crash on the Crown Range Road, between Queenstown and Wanaka. Photo / Otago Daily Times / Tracey Roxburgh

Police have named two men who died in a truck crash on the Crown Range Road, Queenstown, yesterday.

Asad Khan, 46, was driving the vehicle. He was married with four children. Originally from Pakistan, Mr Khan had lived in Christchurch for 12 years.

His passenger, Muhammad Ajmal Chaudhry, 40, was married with three children and had been in Christchurch for about two years.

Both men were originally from Lahore.

The commercial truck, which was carrying a load of carpets, lost control on a bend near the summit of the mountain road between Wanaka and Queenstown shortly before 3pm.

Senior Constable Chris Blackford of Queenstown police said: "The vehicle collided with an Armco railing and then hit a rock wall." Both Mr Khan and Chaudhry died at the scene.

The weather conditions on the range were described as challenging, with hail and snow showers. The truck was travelling downhill.

Mr Blackford said the truck was registered and had a warrant of fitness.

"We won't know the reason it crashed until the investigations are complete", he said.

Both men's families had been notified and the deaths referred to the coroner.

Yesterday's crash is the second multiple fatality in less than a week in the district, after three tourists were killed last Thursday near Wanaka.

Driver Wing Fai Chan, 60, also known as Allan, and two female back-seat passengers, Kwai Tei Chong, 61, also known as Connie, and Yin Wan Ng, 56, were killed after their hired vehicle and a truck and trailer unit collided on State Highway 6, near Luggate.

A fourth passenger, a 59-year-old man, also from Hong Kong, was flown to Dunedin Hospital with serious leg injuries.

He was discharged on Monday.