Tourist dies in logging truck crash near Matamata

Waikato police said the silver Hyundai hatchback was travelling towards Cambridge on SH29. Photo / Belinda Feek

A female tourist has died after the car she was a front-seat passenger in collided with a truck near Matamata.

The woman was one of three occupants in the vehicle which was turning right into Hopkins Rd, off State Highway 29, collided with the logging truck about 9.20am.

The turn-off is the main route to Hobbiton Movie Set and staff at the adjacent Chooky's Auto say it has been just a matter of time before someone was killed at the intersection due to the numerous near misses and fender-benders they'd witnessed over the years.

The scene of the fatal crash near Matamata. Photo / Belinda Feek

Waikato police senior sergeant Gill Meadows says the silver Hyundai hatchback was travelling towards Cambridge on SH29 when it appeared to have turned in front of the truck.

The logging truck came to a stop about 200m down the road.

She confirmed the dead woman, who was trapped inside the car, was a foreign national.

Two other critically injured occupants were airlifted to Waikato Hospital by the Westpac Waikato Rescue Helicopter.

Fire Service shift manager Jaron Phillips said firefighters had to use cutting equipment to free those travelling in the car.

Mr Phillips said all were trapped in the car and had to wait for emergency services to be freed.

The New Zealand Transport Agency said the road would be closed for several hours following today's crash.

Motorists were being diverted through Tirau.

A police serious crash unit was now investigating the cause of the accident.

The car and concrete truck on State Highway 1, Lookout Hill. Photo / Michael Cunningham

In Northland, a woman was also seriously injured when a car she was in collided with a concrete mixer south of Whangarei.

The second crash occurred just outside Whangarei at Otaika between a car and a concrete truck.

Mr Phillips said a person was trapped in the car and was cut free by firefighters using rescue equipment.

The trapped driver was taken to hospital in a serious condition, he said.