Gut feeling saved girl from joining fatal ride

"I was supposed to get in the car but didn't feel right about it."

It was that feeling on Saturday morning in Hamilton that probably saved the life of Aroha Kerehoma.

Three of her friends got into the car, which later plunged off Cobham Bridge into the Waikato River.

Police later recovered the bodies of Sandra Tungia, 16, and Kristen Armstrong.

The body of a third friend, Hayley Forbes, 16, is still missing.

Luana Kerehoma is thankful her 15-year-old daughter listened to her gut feeling.

The pair were sitting on the bank of the Waikato River yesterday, hoping it would give up the last body.

The Subaru car was found by a sonar-equipped police rescue boat on Saturday morning in 5.7m of water and divers struggled for several hours to secure a cable to tow the vehicle out.

Aroha shared classes at Hamilton's Melville High School with Hayley and Kristen.

Ms Kerehoma said she was very very grateful her daughter was still with her and intended keeping Aroha close to her this week.

"At the same time I really feel for the families in their time of loss, my heart goes out to them," she said.

John Forbes, father of Hayley and grandfather of Kristen, said an older daughter Selina, 17, tried to talk the girls out of travelling in the car and to stay with her about 1am.

"They instead told her they would stay at Sandra's house two blocks away."

"Something changed in that two minute space of time and the car continued on its journey," said Mr Forbes, fighting to hold back tears.

Police said that the car lost control approaching the bridge.

Crash investigators said the driver, Whiti Hepi, 21, tried to regain control but the car crossed the centre line, mounted the footpath and crashed through the barrier dropping 20m into the Waikato River.

Mr Hepi reached the river bank and went home. His family took him to the Bridge St police station around 11am, after they returned from performing a karakia at the bridge where they had gone fearing their son had died.

Andrew Kemp, 18, of Hamilton, who also survived and made his way to the river bank, flagged down a passing courier van driver and told him he had been involved in the crash.

The courier driver called police and took Mr Kemp home.

A woman was reportedly heard calling for help about the time Andrew Kemp flagged down the van.

A police dog was used to search the river bank but no one was found.

Hamilton area commander Inspector Paul Carpenter said speed was probably a factor in the crash. He said the road may have been slippery due to early morning rain.

Mr Carpenter would not comment on whether alcohol played a factor in the crash.

Mr Hepi and Mr Kemp were interviewed throughout the weekend but no charges have been laid.

- NZPA