Serious crash turns fatal as person dies after Tauranga Eastern Link crash

A person has died in hospital after a crash on the Tauranga Eastern Link road last week, police say.

This is the first fatal vehicle accident on the TEL since it opened in August 2015.

The two-car crash in Pāpāmoa Beach happened about 7am last Wednesday.

A St John spokeswoman previously said one critically injured person was flown by helicopter to Waikato Hospital and two others with minor injuries were taken to Tauranga Hospital by ambulance.

Northbound lanes were closed while police conducted a serious crash investigation, causing significant delays on the TEL and Te Puke Highway detour.

The investigation is ongoing.