Three children critically hurt in a crash in Kawerau today were not wearing seat belts, police say.

A helicopter has crashed on the Banks Peninsula, less than 24 hours after two hunters walked away from a crash in Fiordland.

Two teenagers are seriously ill in Middlemore Hospital with extensive burns after a gas cylinder is thought to have exploded in their faces.

An inquiry into a fatal mid-air collision has revealed a huge increase in dangerous close calls in the skies - and sparked pleas for change from grieving families.

The bus hit Rongo with such force the windscreen smashed, before he was dragged about 15m.

Phillip Bannan bought three bottles of wine and - after several afternoon drinks - decided to drive 87km from Akaroa to Christchurch.

The manufacturers of the Bombardier say yesterday's Blenheim incident was the third one of its kind worldwide in less than a week.

An unlicensed drink driver who fled police and ran a red light before crashing into a car, killing two, has pleaded guilty to their manslaughter.

Eighty people who lost family members in the 1979 Erebus tragedy will travel to Antarctica on a remembrance flight this summer after their names were drawn in a ballot.

We asked readers what they thought of the Govt's plan to change NZ's right-turn rule in 2012, and found little consensus.