One dead after SUV plunges into Tauranga Harbour, dozens of people dive in for desperate rescue attempt

Dozens of people stopped what they were doing to help after a car plunged into Tauranga Harbour. Photo / Kiri Gillespie

About 20 people dived into Tauranga Harbour in a desperate rescue attempt after a car plunged into the water and began sinking fast with people inside, witnesses say.

Police have confirmed one person died at the scene of the incident on Chapel St, which was first reported just after 5pm. A St John ambulance spokeswoman said three others were injured and treated at the scene.

The incident happened at the traffic lights at the turnoff into the shops. The road is still closed, as of 7.30pm, and police have asked the public to stay away.

A Fire and Emergency NZ spokesman said a three-vehicle crash had been reported, with one vehicle "submerged" in the water.

Witness Errol Hodgson told the Bay of Plenty Times he was driving home from work when he saw two vehicles crash at the Chapel St lights then a third, an SUV, come "out of nowhere".

"The SUV went up over the island and straight over the edge [into the water].

"It went down real fast.

"I stopped here [about 20m away] and ran over there. The rear window was disappearing.

"The windows must have been down because it went down so fast, it was ridiculous."

He said a man got out of the sinking car himself.

"They tried to get the other person out. They were there a long time. The car kept moving down there because of the currents. It's still there.

"There were people running everywhere."

Emergency services at the scene of a crash involving a vehicle in the water. Photo / Kiri Gillespie

Kran Radford and Rem Mangakahia were also driving home when they saw the commotion.

Mangakahia said: "We saw everybody started to run so we parked up, we wondered if we should help. Everyone was running and diving in ...

"They were trying to get dive bottles and stuff from the [hunting] and fishing shop to help.

"They did pull out a lady. They put her on some sort of floating board and carried her [out]."

Radford said there were about 20 people in the water, including children, so they did not get in.

Another witness estimated the person was trapped in the car for 15 to 20 minutes.

A worker in the area said she heard a "big bang" and people started running outside.

Emergency services have been called to Chapel St after reports of a vehicle in the water. Photo / Supplied

By the time she got outside, she saw a vehicle was in the water near the traffic lights.

"Police were trying to rescue someone ... I could see people swimming, trying to get someone out [of the vehicle]."

"I could hear someone crying."

Another witness said a person from Rebel Sport, located across the road, supplied goggles to help people see through the murky water.

A retail worker was on Takitumu Dr warning motorists that they could not access Chapel St because of the accident.

He said a car went into the water with people in it and about 20 other people dived in to try to rescue them.

Police and ambulance are on the scene. Firefighters were on the rocks leading to the estuary.

A St John Ambulance spokeswoman said one patient in a moderate condition and two patients in a minor condition were treated at the scene.

Police said an investigation into the circumstances of the crash was ongoing.

Emergency services were called to two other crashes in Tauranga around the same time, both involving vehicles that had rolled.

Police received a report at 5.25pm of a car rolled at the intersection of Otumoetai and Bellevue Rds in Brookfield.

Fire and Emergency NZ acting shift manager Josh Pennefather said one person was trapped and had to be removed from the vehicle with rescue equipment.

He did not know the extent of their injuries.

Fire and Emergency were also responding to a third incident involving a truck rolled on the intersection of State Highways 29 and 36 in Tauriko.

- Additional reporting Samantha Motion