Chapel St fatal crash investigation continues

The police dive squad and a crane were involved in the retrieval of a vehicle involved in a fatal crash. Photo / George Novak

The investigation in the Chapel St fatal crash which resulted in a 65-year-old local woman dying at the scene continues.

Tauranga City Council director of transport Brendan Bisley confirmed to the Bay of Plenty Times that the council was likely to launch its own investigation into the tragedy next week.

"After any fatal accident on any road within the city limits, [the] council undertakes an investigation to determine if the road environment contributed to the crash being a fatality.

"If changes are needed to improve the safety of a road, these are then put into our safety programme, which has an annual budget for safety improvements of the network."

Bisley was asked whether the council was exploring whether a safety barrier or safety rail was required in the area where the crash vehicle went into the harbour.

"In the case of the tragic accident on Chapel St, staff have not yet undertaken an investigation, so we are currently unable to determine if a crash barrier was needed at that location.

"It is likely this investigation will begin next week, where we will look at the road and review any accident history to see if this has happened previously."

The crash happened on Wednesday when an SUV plunged into Tauranga Harbour.

The submerged vehicle was recovered on Thursday, with flowers placed near where the accident happened shortly after 5pm on Chapel St, sparking a desperate rescue attempt.

Praise has been heaped on the estimated 20 people, including firefighters and police, who swam out in the hope of saving the woman trapped in the fast-sinking vehicle.

A male occupant of the vehicle was able to get out by himself. Fire and Emergency NZ acting shift manager Josh Pennefather said a trapped person was removed from the vehicle with rescue equipment.

It is understood the car that went into the water was one of three involved in a collision at the lights at the turnoff into the Bay Central shopping precinct.