Six dead after car smashes into tree

Six people are dead after a car careered off the road and smashed into a tree south of Ruatoria on the East Coast overnight.

The crashed vehicle was found about 7am today but emergency authorities believed the accident may have happened several hours earlier.

It's the second multiple fatal in just over a week after nine people died when a tourist mini-bus left the road at Morrinsville in the Waikato and crashed into a timber truck on May 18.


A Ruatoria foodstore owner told NZPA some victims were from the same family.


"We're all pretty devastated right now. Ruatoria is not a big small place and we are all in shock by what has happened," he said.


"This is a lot for a small community."


Shane Clapperton, St John Ambulance area manager for the Gisborne and East Coast district, said the tragedy would have a huge impact on the small township of Ruatoria, 140km northeast of Gisborne.

He said the Ruatoria ambulance crew which attended the scene had been stood down for the rest of the day.

They confirmed the six people were dead when they arrived and left the police to arrange for the bodies to be transported to a morgue.

"We have got no idea of speed or whether there are any other factors involved at all. It appears they have failed to take a corner," Mr Clapperton said

He said there were no witnesses to the accident.

"It was found by people but it appears (the car crashed) some time beforehand."

He said the car was still intact.

"It hit a tree at high speed by the looks of it," Mr Clapperton said.

The accident happened on State Highway 35 just south of Ruatoria.

Police said only one vehicle was thought to be involved.

Details of the dead were not available and the circumstances surrounding what happened were still vague.

Emergency service were still at the scene and road diversions are in place.

Mr Clapperton said the accident showed again how much care was needed when driving.

"I don't know what to say really. We see it all the time. In reality people are going to do it again tomorrow and the next day and the next day," Mr Clapperton said.

- NZPA