An 18-year-old female and a 47-year-old male have died following a head-on collision south of Whanganui.
Three passengers were left in a serious condition.
Police and emergency services were called to the scene at 4.50am on SH3 between Pauri Road and Marangai Road where a ute and a car collided.
The female was the driver of one vehicle and the male was the driver of the other vehicle.
Three passengers, who survived the crash, had to be cut from the wreckage by fire services.