'Shock and grief' over loss of daughter

The father of a Christchurch woman killed in a car crash on Friday night says the family are working through their "shock and grief" at the loss of his daughter.

Mereana Tirri Dobson, 19, was a back-seat passenger in a car that was driving on Memorial Ave when it collided with a car travelling in the opposite direction.

She died at the scene of the crash.

Miss Dobson's father said in a statement released through police: "It is tragic for parents to be waiting for their kids to come home and when you find out why they're not coming home it's really hard."

He asked for privacy while the family "work through our shock and grief".

Miss Dobson was in the car with four other people, three of whom remain in hospital, two in a critical condition and one in a serious but stable condition.

Police said the sole occupant of the other car was discharged from hospital on Saturday after suffering minor injuries.

Police confirmed the two cars were not racing each other and investigations into the cause of the crash were continuing.

Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash or saw a silver Hyundai station wagon driving along Memorial Ave on Friday night at around 10-10.20pm to contact them on 03 363 7400.