Two killed in head-on Hawkes Bay crash

Two people are dead and two injured after a head-on smash between two cars on State Highway 2 in central Hawke's Bay this morning.

It appeared a car being driven north by a 19-year-old woman crossed the centreline into the path of another car near Te Hauke, about 30km southwest of Hastings, about 11am, said Sergeant Clint Adamson of Hastings police.

The teenager, who was the only person in the car, suffered moderate injuries in the crash and remained in hospital.

Three people from Hastings were in the southbound car. A 31-year-old woman and a 49-year-old man were killed and a 58-year-old man was now in intensive care in Hawke's Bay Hospital in a critical condition.

Mr Adamson said was not yet known whether speed or alcohol were factors.

Police had spoken to witnesses who saw the northbound car just miss a small truck before the crash, he said.

SH2 was closed for several hours.

The police serious crash unit was investigating.

- NZPA