A car upside-down in a creek after a crash near Sunset and Wrigley Rds. Photo / Andrew Warner
The occupants of a car involved in a serious crash have not been found.
Two people had serious injuries after two cars crashed on Sunset Rd.
One of the cars landed upside-down in a nearby creek and a rescue helicopter was sent.
A police spokeswoman said the cars crashed on the corner of Wrigley and Sunset Rds, in Rotorua, about 8.15pm yesterday.
Two people had made it out of the upside-down vehicle, she said.
The second car involved in the crash was still on Sunset Rd but the spokeswoman said the occupants of that vehicle had run from the scene.
This morning, a police spokeswoman said the occupants of the second car had not been found and inquiries into how many people were in the car were continuing.
A St John spokeswoman said two ambulances and one helicopter were sent to the scene.
Two people with serious injuries were taken to Rotorua Hospital by ambulance, she said.
One of those patients was then taken to Waikato Hospital by helicopter, their status having been upgraded to critical.
The injured people were in the car that was in the creek. It was originally thought one of them was critically injured but their injuries were later downgraded to serious.
A woman who drove past the crash scene said she estimated there were about 150 to 200 people standing nearby.
She said she drove past it and turned around and drove back to have another look but she didn't stop.
"There were just too many people. There were stacks of people. It was massive."
She said there were about three fire engines, police and ambulance in attendance.
"Someone was lying on the grass verge and didn't look in a good way."
'I feel confident knowing ... he’ll never be able to work for emergency services again.'