Eight fight for their lives after crash leaves 1 dead

One person was killed and nine others were injured - eight of them critically - when a van and car collided head-on near Te Awamutu yesterday.

The crash happened about 2.45pm on Otorohanga Rd, Kihikihi.

A person from the car died at the scene and one other was taken to Waikato Hospital with critical injuries.

Seven others are in hospital with critical injuries and an eighth has less serious injuries.

Waikato Hospital has sought a Cantonese interpreter to help in communicating with the eight people who were travelling in the van. They were thought to be from Auckland.

Hospital spokeswoman Mary Anne Gill said it was possible the group was on a family outing.

Conflicting reports emerged about the number injured in the crash and the seriousness of their injuries, with police initially saying that one person had been killed and six others had been taken to hospital.

Police reported two cars had collided, resulting in "very serious injuries" to four people and moderate injuries to two others.

A St John ambulance spokesman said four ambulances took the injured to hospital. Ms Gill confirmed the number of injured.

No further details of the collision were available last night but the police serious crash unit was investigating.

Otorohanga Rd was expected to be closed for several hours.

The fatality took the toll for the Christmas holiday period - which runs from 4pm on Christmas Eve until 6am tomorrow - to 11.

Last year, nine people died on the nation's roads over the same period.