Honeymooners killed in crash

Mohamed Mohamed Suhaimi and wife Raihana Rashid died near Mangatawhiri. Photo / Supplied

A honeymoon has ended in tragedy after the newlyweds were killed in a road accident south of Auckland.

Mohamed Mohamed Suhaimi, 26, and his wife Raihana Rashid, 25, died on Friday afternoon when their car and a Britz Rental campervan collided on State Highway 2, near Mangatawhiri.

Counties Manukau senior sergeant Stephen Bass said the newlyweds died instantly but the campervan occupants escaped without injury.

Mohamed Suhaimi, a lieutenant in the Singaporean Army, married his high school sweetheart Rashid, who is a nurse, in an elaborate military-style wedding last weekend, just two days before arriving in New Zealand.

"It was a traditional Singaporean wedding and very eventful because he is the youngest in the family and because he was in the army," his sister, Sabah-zia Mohamed Suhaimi said.

She said their Kiwi honeymoon got off to a shaky start after he was found with a sandwich in his bag on arrival at Auckland Airport on Monday.

"He was detained and they got a shock because it was a $400 fine but he pleaded saying it was their first time and he was unaware so they let him go."

Mohamed Suhaimi called his mother the day before the accident to let them know he was having a "fantastic time and not to worry".

They were scheduled to return to Singapore last night.

Sabah-zia broke down crying when talking about her brother - the baby of their family.

"We come from a very close-knit family, she said. "We have dinner every week at mum's place. He will always be a small boy in my eyes.

"He was the apple of our eye and it's sad that God decided to pick them."

She said they were working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the High Commission of the Republic of Singapore to bring their bodies home.