Three people remain missing after a car with five occupants crashed into the Tuamarina River in Marlborough overnight.
Emergency services were alerted to the incident at the intersection of State Highway 1 and Bush Road at 1:45 a.m.
Two of the passengers managed to escape the vehicle and reach safety, sustaining moderate injuries.
They were taken to the hospital for treatment.
The Police National Dive Squad is being deployed to assist in the search and is expected to arrive by midday.
One lane of State Highway 1 is closed with stop/go traffic management, and full closures may occur throughout the day. Motorists are advised to expect delays and plan accordingly.
Update at 3.18pm
Police have recovered the bodies of three people who were missing following a fatal crash in Marlborough overnight. The accident occurred at the intersection of State Highway 1 and Bush Road in Tuamarina, with authorities alerted to the scene at 1:45 am.
The car, which had veered into the Tuamarina River, initially left two occupants able to escape. However, three people remained unaccounted for, prompting the deployment of the Police National Dive Squad. Around noon, the divers located the submerged vehicle in the river, tragically discovering all three missing occupants deceased inside.
The families of the victims, along with the two survivors who sustained moderate injuries, are receiving support during this difficult time.
Investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing, and the road has since been reopened to traffic.
