Foot discovered on beach identified as crash victim's

A foot found washed up on Himatangi Beach in July has been identified by police as belonging to the victim of a car accident near Wanganui that claimed four lives in 2004.

The foot, still clad in a sneaker, was found by a Foxton man who was walking his dog along the beach near Foxton.

Police today identified the foot as belonging to Shannel Ngaire Paranihi, who was 17 when the car she was travelling in plunged 150m into the swollen Mangawhero River in June 2004.

Wanganui coroner Colin Riddet ruled driver fatigue as the likely cause of the crash, which killed Ms Paranihi and three others -- Russell William Turner, 25, Steffan Whatitua Robinson, 17, and Nicole Phillipa Emily Davis, 18.

The bodies of the other three victims were recovered, but Ms Paranihi's was never found.

Mr Riddet declared her dead at the coroner's hearing in December 2004, satisfied there was sufficient evidence to prove she had been in the car when it plummeted into the river.

Police said today the remains would be returned to Ms Paranihi's family, who had requested privacy.

The car Ms Paranihi had been travelling in was headed north on State Highway 4 on June 16, 2004, when it went off the road on a corner, smashed through a rail and fell to the river blow.

The car was recovered the following day with the bodies of Mr Turner and Mr Robinson inside.

Family members found Miss Davis' body on June 30, 5km downstream from the crash site.

- NZPA