Rapid cash response to help crash victims

Rotorua Malayali Association secretary Elsan Paul (front) and president Santhosh Mathew have organised a fundraiser to help the families of the victims of a fatal car crash. Photo / Ben Fraser

When two men tragically lost their lives in a car crash just days after Christmas, communities across the country rallied to raise the $30,000 needed to send their bodies back to their loved ones in India.

The men were part of a group of five who had recently moved to Rotorua from India.

They were travelling on State Highway 2 at Paengaroa when the VW Golf they were in and a tanker truck were in collision on December 28.

Police are yet to release the names of a 30-year-old car driver, who died at the scene, and a 31-year-old who died at Waikato Hospital hours later, but it is understood the latter had only been in New Zealand for about 20 days.

The rest of the group had been in the country for fewer than six months.

The wife of one of the victims, a student at Waiariki Institute of Technology, remains in a critical condition in Waikato Hospital while another passenger, a 42-year-old Rotorua woman, also a student at the polytechnic, is in a stable condition in Rotorua Hospital. She had initially been admitted to Tauranga Hospital.

The group were new members of the Rotorua Malayali Association, a community organisation that aims to bring together people from the Indian state of Kerala who are living in Rotorua.

It also helps members become involved in arts, sports, cultural and academic activities and provides advice about welfare services.

When news of the crash broke, it sent shockwaves through Rotorua's Malayali community, spurring the association to do something to help the victims' families.

Rotorua Malayali Association president Santhosh Mathew said members had been doing all they could to support the victims' family, including sending messages to Indian associations across the country seeking donations to raise enough money to cover the cost of shipping the bodies back to their loved ones.

"It's a tragedy. [It was] very sad news, very sad for the family and for the community," Mr Mathew said. "We wanted to help in any way we could in this sad, sad time."

The response to the association's efforts was overwhelming, with people, organisations and Malayali and other Indian communities across New Zealand donating more than $30,000 to the cause within a week.

The money raised was enough to cover the $15,000 bill for each body to be sent to India. They were due to arrive in India this week.

"We want to thank everyone for their generous support. The kindness shown at such a time is greatly appreciated."

Association secretary Elsan Paul said the next priority was to support the families of all those involved in the crash, including the woman in Waikato Hospital who was still fighting for her life.

They aim to raise more money to cover any ongoing medical costs and help pay for flights for their family so they could be together.

Mr Paul said anyone who wanted to help could contact the association via email at rotorua.malayali@gmail.com or its website www.rotoruamalayali.com.

Bay of Plenty police said they were waiting to hear from the Indian Embassy before they could formally release the names of the victims.