'We saw the car in midair', say crash witnesses [+pictures]

Police and rescue workers by the wreckage of the stolen silver Mercedes on State Highway 1 soon after yesterday's collision. Picture / Glenn Jeffrey

Two young men in a stolen Mercedes-Benz died in a head-on smash north of Auckland yesterday after speeding away from police.

They hit a car driven by a woman in her 30s who was seriously injured and had to be cut from the wreckage.

Police had been looking for the silver Mercedes-Benz since it was reported stolen from the Far North early yesterday morning.

It is understood a officer in a northbound patrol car recognised the car as it passed him on SH1, just south of Dome Valley, about 2.15pm.

The officer turned around at Sheepworld to follow, but police say he did not have time to start pursuing the southbound Mercedes before it sped away.

Police spokesman Kevin Loughlin said the car was seen moments later pulling out to overtake a line of traffic.

It collided head-on with a northbound Toyota RAV4.

A third car was also damaged in the crash.

The Mercedes flew through the air and came to rest on its side.

One of the passengers was trapped in the vehicle. He and another passenger from the Mercedes died at the scene.

The driver, believed to be a teenager, was not injured but police said he was taken to North Shore hospital for observation.

A third teenage passenger was taken to Starship Hospital with cuts, severe bruising and possible abdominal injuries.

The female driver of the RAV4, believed to be in her 30s, was briefly knocked unconscious and had to be cut from her mangled vehicle.

She was flown to Auckland Hospital by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter with serious injuries, including a badly broken leg.

The female driver of the third vehicle, who may have crashed while swerving to avoid the collision, was not injured.

The owner of the nearby Annie's Antiques and Curios store, Peter Fenlon, said he was mowing the lawns when he and his wife heard the crash.

"We heard the bang, looked up and saw the car in midair. We ran to see what we could do to help."

When he reached the road, a police officer directed him to stop oncoming traffic.

It is understood the Mercedes was taken from Houhora sometime after 4am yesterday.

Police are believed to have been investigating the possibility the car was used in several burglaries or thefts.

Witnesses said police removed items from the boot of the Mercedes including an air compressor, a computer and a briefcase, none of which belonged to the owner of the car.

The fatal accident came days after Rodney police and local authorities started a campaign to reduce the number of deaths on the district's roads.