Police investigating yesterday's double fatality on State Highway 29 are appealing for anyone who saw the crash to come forward.
Tauranga's Eruera Eriata Munroe, 22, and Rose-Ana Leigh Mitchell-Kingi, 21, were killed when the Volkswagon they were travelling in collided with an oncoming Honda near Piarere about 4pm.
A Waikato Hospital
spokeswoman said a 22-year-old man was in a serious condition at the hospital's high dependency unit. A 19-year-old man from the United Kingdom, and 25-year-old woman and 30-year-old man both from Mount Maunganui were 'comfortable' in wards.
Sergeant Neil Mansill of the Matamata-Piako Strategic Traffic Unit said another person suffered critical injuries and three other people suffered moderate injuries including the drivers of the two cars involved.
"We have spoken to some people at the scene but we believe other people may have seen what happened who we haven't yet spoken to and we would ask these people to come forward," Mr Mansill said.
He said Serious Crash Unit investigators would return to the scene on Wednesday to continue their work and motorists can expect some delays.
Mr Mansill said police needed to conduct as thorough an investigation as possible to allow closure for the bereaved families of the dead and people at the scene may hold information key to investigators establishing what occurred.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Mr Mansill at the Morrinsville Police Station on 07 8895071.