One person has died while another is being airlifted to hospital after a two-car crash on State Highway 3, Awakino.
Police were this afternoon urging motorists to avoid the area - north of New Plymouth and south of Piopio - as the police serious crash unit investigates.
But the stretch of highway has since reopened.
Emergency services were called to the scene - about 5km north of the Awakino Tunnel - at 1.15pm.
Northern fire communications shift manager Megan Ruru said one person died while the other person was airlifted by rescue helicopter to hospital in a serious condition.
