Girl killed as 4WD tumbles down Mt Wellington

Geoffrey Osuji

A 9-year-old girl was killed and a 4-year-old girl seriously injured when the vehicle they were in crashed through a safety barrier and tumbled 100m down the side of Mt Wellington yesterday.

The girl who died was Britney Angelique Abbott, of Mt Wellington.

The incident happened about the same time as police were taking a statement from a person who feared for the safety of the two young girls.

Police were last night unable to discuss details of the case but said they were called to a Mt Wellington address about 4pm.

"While police were there they were made aware that some children's lives could be in danger," said Auckland City Police spokeswoman Noreen Hegarty.

"Almost instantaneously there was a report from witnesses that a man had driven through a safety barrier at Mt Wellington summit."

The four-wheel-drive tumbled down the side of the mountain, throwing the 28-year-old driver and girls out of the vehicle. The man and children were related.

Witnesses Geoffrey Osuji and Serah Motufoaki were sitting in their parked car near the summit when the crash occurred.

Ms Motufoaki said a green four-wheel-drive sped past them, towards the summit, so quickly that the vehicle was almost a blur.

"I just heard it coming, then it went past. It looked like it was doing about 80km/h."

Seconds later the pair were shocked to see the vehicle plough through a wooden safety barrier.

"I think it was intended because of the speed," said Mr Osuji.

The vehicle rolled all the way down the steep bank before coming to rest in bush above a quarry in Homestead Drive.

Mr Osuji called police and an ambulance as another man ran down the hill to the wreckage, scattered down the hillside.

The man found the unconscious 4-year-old girl lying in the grass and carried her back up the hill.

By the time he got to the top with the girl an ambulance had arrived but there was nothing that could be done for the other child.

The driver, who was conscious, had to be airlifted from the wreckage. The 4-year-old was taken to Starship Hospital with serious injuries.

Police would not elaborate on the connection between the call to the Mt Wellington address and the crash.