Horrific crash brings North Island weekend toll to five

Two young Matamata women are dead after a collision on the main road over the Kaimai Ranges.

State Highway 29 was closed for more than eight hours after the crash at 11.30pm on Saturday.

Police said the women, aged 18 and 21, were driving from Matamata to Tauranga when their car went under a truck-and-trailer unit travelling in the opposite direction.

The women, who had not been publicly named last night, died at the scene.

The truck driver was shaken but unharmed, police said.

Emergency services, including the serious crash team, were called to the scene, between Soldier's and Ngamuwahine Rds.

State Highway 29 was closed between Cambridge and Rapurapu Rds and did not reopen until 8am.

Police said the nature of the accident meant identifying the women and contacting next of kin would be protracted.

Traffic was diverted through Rotorua, Tauranga and the Karangahake Gorge, Waihi and Katikati.

St John Ambulance staff said driving conditions were poor, ranging between heavy showers and drizzle.

The accident brought the weekend road toll in the North Island to five.

Police said a man died at the scene after a collision between a truck and a ute about 7.30pm on Saturday on Mataraua Rd, Kaikohe.

A motorcyclist died in hospital yesterday morning after an accident just before midnight near New Plymouth.

The man was travelling between New Plymouth and Oakura, a New Plymouth spokeswoman said. No further details were available.

And a 19-year-old died when the car he was driving crossed the centre line on State Highway 1 near Sanson on Saturday night.