'Everybody knows everybody': Te Araroa community in pain after double tragedy

A crash claimed the lives of Tiny Tibble, Ashton-Lee Rangihuna and Ana-Roimata Rangihuna. Photo / Supplied

Funeral preparations are under way to mourn two children and their mother after they died in a car accident earlier in the week.

The tight-knit Gisborne community of Te Araroa has been left devastated and in shock after a month of tragedy.

First, it was Lance Rangihuna, who died in a car crash near Karakatuwhero Bridge.

Now his partner and children have died in a crash.

Police yesterday named the victims of the latest crash as 14-year-old boy Ashton-Lee Rangihuna, 10-year-old girl Ana-Roimata Rangihuna and 43-year-old mother Tiny Tibble.

The unimaginable tragedy has left a community of around 200 people in shock.

Community leader Ani Pahuru-Huriwai said when it was discovered who was involved in the accident, it was even more of a tragedy.

"I don't think in my lifetime we will have had a tangi like this, three on the marae."

She said it was hard to find the words to express the pain the community was feeling.

"We are absolutely devastated," she said.

"I've been in touch with the wider whānau, and all are devastated. It is incomprehensible what has happened."

Te Araroa fire chief Dick Cook attended both crashes and knew the whānau personally.

"We are in a small rural area, everybody knows everybody. It's really tough, but the hardest part is having to just turn around and go off to your real job."

Cook told the Gisborne Herald that it will take a while to get over the incident because there were children involved.

"I've been to so many, but it's harder when you know the people."

Mayor Rehette Stoltz said there's a sombre mood across the East Coast community following this week's tragedy.

"They had a death a while ago and then this today, so everyone is hurting and are sending support to the family involved."