Mongrel Mob members rode around the Hawkes Bay yesterday before their 50th anniversary celebrations. Photo / Paul Taylor
Police are on the hunt for a blue vehicle that may have run another car off the road, killing three Mongrel Mob members as it plunged 150m down a bank and into a river.
The incident in Hawkes Bay on Saturday afternoon was one of three fatal crashes that claimed five lives over the weekend.
Police today revealed a second vehicle could have been involved in the crash on State Highway 2 between Napier and Wairoa.
The car went off the highway and into the Mohaka River, near the Mohaka Viaduct.
It is understood police are investigating whether the crashed car was run off the road.
At a press conference at the scene today, police said they were looking for a blue Japanese car with a large dent in its bonnet, which was suspected of being involved.
The crash victims were all Mongrel Mob members from Wairoa who had been travelling to the gang's 50th anniversary celebrations in Hastings.
One of the victims had been jailed for being part of an organised criminal group, after a shoot-out between Mongrel Mob and Black Power members in 2010.
The police dive squad recovered two bodies from the river last night and this morning.
A third victim was earlier found dead on the riverbank.
Detective Sergeant Brent Greville said police wanted to speak to anyone who may have seen the crash or noticed vehicles on the stretch of road near the hilltop before the approach to the Mohaka Viaduct.
Police were especially keen on sightings around 2.30pm to 2.45pm yesterday.
"There may be a possibility that another car was involved. It's an aspect we need to look into as part of the investigation so we would like to talk to anyone who may have seen anything unusual on that section of the highway during that time," Mr Greville said.
Police said the injured man who survived the crash was discharged from Wairoa Hospital last night.
The highway was closed for a time today as a crane was used to recover the crashed car from the river.
In a second fatal Hawkes Bay crash, an 18-year-old man died after losing control of his motorcycle on SH5 between Napier and Taupo about 3.30pm on Saturday.
Police said the Wellington man was travelling towards Taupo with other motorcyclists when he crashed his red Yamaha XJ600 about 2km east of the Te Haroto summit cafe.
No other vehicles were involved and the man died at the scene.Police said there was no indication of how the crash happened.
They are appealing for any witnesses who may have seen the motorcyclist before or during the crash.In the South Island, a man died in a single car crash in Christchurch last night.
Police said the man was found dead at the scene of the crash in the suburb of Bryndwyr.
No other cars were involved and the victim was the vehicle's sole occupant, police said.
Police said an investigation was underway and inquiries to identify the man were ongoing.
Today, a man was critically injured when his car slammed into a power pole in Huntly.
Emergency services were called to the single-vehicle crash on Te Ohaki Rd about 2pm.
Senior Sergeant Juliet Burgess of Waikato police said the male driver was flown in a critical condition to Waikato Hospital by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.
Diversions were in place while the police serious crash unit investigated.
Seven people have died in road crashes around the country since Wednesday.