Two killed in East Coast crash

Two people are dead after a car smash just outside Gisborne last night.

The car, a blue Subaru with five occupants, was travelling towards Gisborne about 9.45pm when it crashed into a small concrete shed a few kilometres from Makaraka, 6km west if Gisborne.

A teenage girl and a man, believed to be 14 and 23-years-old, were killed. They were front and rear seat passengers.

The three survivors were taken to Gisborne Hospital with serious and moderate injuries. A 24-year-old man and another 14-year-old girl were in intensive care in a stable condition, while the fifth occupant, a 19-year-old, was in a ward and also in a stable condition.

Senior Constable Viard Sheridan, of the Gisborne Serious Crash Unit, said some of the car's occupants were from Gisborne while others were from out of town.

Police were still trying to contact family members this morning.

Mr Sheridan said it appeared the car had been overtaking a slower vehicle near a bend when the driver lost control.

It smashed into the shed and travelled about 25 metres down the road before coming to a stop.

Mr Sheridan said the impact of the crash caused a small concrete block of stairs leading up to the shed to be ripped from its steel rods and thrown 18 metres down the road. The car's engine was smashed to pieces and the car was almost unrecognisable.

Two fire appliances, two ambulances and several police cars rushed to the scene. The victims were trapped in the wreckage and the jaws of life were needed to free them.

Mr Sheridan said speed might have been a factor in the crash and police were investigating whether alcohol involved.

It was not clear if the passengers were wearing seatbelts.

The highway remained closed to traffic at the Makaraka intersection this morning and was not expected to reopen until later today.

Drivers were being diverted down side roads to rejoin the highway at the Farmers Road intersection.

- NZPA