Occupants flee Southland crash, police hunt for injured

A witness told police they saw three occupants decamping after a vehicle crashed on Bluff Highway on Sunday evening. Photo / Abby Palmer

Police want to determine whether there were any self-admissions to Southland Hospital following reports of three people fleeing from a crash on the Bluff Highway.

Red tape could yesterday be seen wrapped around a blue Holden Commodore on the side of the road between Kent Street and Motu Rimu Road, near the turnoff on State Highway 1 to the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter.

Skid-marks in the mud led to the vehicle, which was damaged with the front bumper hanging off and parts sprawled about.

A police spokeswoman confirmed officers were alerted to a crash about 7pm on Sunday, but when they arrived, the occupants of the vehicle involved were nowhere to be seen.

A witness told police they saw the occupants get out of the crashed vehicle and jump into another before speeding off.

It is understood no other vehicles were involved in the crash.

There was ''a bit of damage'' to the vehicle and police were following up with hospital staff to check whether anyone had presented with injuries which could be related to the crash, the spokeswoman said.

Inquiries into the circumstances of the crash were ongoing and police urged anyone with information to come forward.