A 21-year-old man and an 18-year-old woman are dead after a crash in south Canterbury.
Police were alerted to the incident when an injured person was found on State Highway 82, near the crash scene at Waihao Downs in Waimate District, about 8am. It was thought the crash had happened sometime overnight.
From initial scene examination it appeared a vehicle travelling from Waimate towards Kurow failed to take a left-hand bend, left the road and ended up in the bottom of a small gully, police said.
It appeared neither of the people who died were wearing safety belts. Police said speed and alcohol were also contributing factors to the crash.
The victims have not yet been formally identified, but names would be released once next of kin were notified, police said.
