A fatal crash on Auckland’s State Highway 1 resulted in three deaths and three injuries. As reported, one of the deceased was a seasonal worker.
Two of the deceased were identified by their families in Samoa and are due to return home in two days.
Another passenger, also a seasonal worker, was injured and was seen on Facebook live in tears. The stretch of SH1, where the crash occurred, has reopened.
Lane closures were closed between Bombay and Ramarama shortly before 2 p.m. on Monday. The collision was of a truck and three other vehicles.
Tamati Cassin, a motorist who arrived at the scene about 30 seconds after the crash, saw three bodies in a van and three other people with injuries. He described the situation as “chaos,” and no one knew what to do.
Counties Manukau road policing manager Inspector Tony Wakelin confirmed that all three people who died were traveling in the same vehicle.
He expressed shock at the number of fatalities at once and urged anyone who witnessed the crash to contact police.
Especially if they have dashcam footage.
Overnight, road crews put in a temporary steel barrier on the median strip, replacing the damaged wire rope barrier.
Waka Kotahi Auckland systems manager Paul Geck said that the barrier destroyed in the crash was an older type but had no concerns about its integrity.
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