One dead four badly hurt in Opotiki crash

One person is dead and four have been seriously hurt in a two car crash near Opotiki in the Bay of Plenty early today.
Police said a rescue helicopter was called in to airlift the injured people to hospital. Waiorore Road at Te Kaha near Opotiki was closed as emergency workers tried to free a person trapped in the wreckage.

Police said no other details were available, including details of the dead or injured.

Paramedics on the Tauranga-based TrustPower TECT rescue helicopter said the engines of both utility vehicles were cold and the accident had happened some time before the first people arrived about 5.30am.

One of the injured, a 26-year-old woman who was a front seat passenger, was flown by the TrustPower helicopter to Tauranga Hospital with chest, abdominal and leg injuries. Her condition was described as moderate.

A man in his 20s was flown to Tauranga hospital by the Rotorua-based Tenon rescue helicopter with head injuries.

His condition was also described as moderate.

Another person was flown to Whakatane hospital, while a fourth person was taken to hospital by ambulance.

- NZPA