Two Filipino men still in Waikato Hospital, $23K raised to support victims' families

Police and KiwiRail staff at the Pongakawa School Rd rail crossing where two Filipino men died. Photo / File

A Givealittle page has raised more than $23,000 to support families of five Filipino men involved in a fatal rail crossing crash at Pongakawa.

Chary Alonzo Sabalande, 34, and Roymark Solomon Bering, 32, from the Philippines, were killed after their vehicle collided with a freight train at the Pongakawa School Rd rail crossing near State Highway 2, at 8.15am on June 19.

The bodies of Salabande, a married father of two, and Bering, a father of one, who left behind a pregnant wife, have been returned to their homeland.

Three other men also from the Philippines were injured in the crash - one was treated and discharged, and two others remain in Waikato Hospital.

The five kiwifruit workers, who had only been in the country about a week, were on their way to work when the crash happened.

Their employer, Southern Cross Horticulture, set up a Givealittle page on behalf with all funds going to help the men and their families.

So far, $23,285 had been donated to support the families, including from private donors.

Southern Cross Horticulture chief executive Andrew Dunstan said the offers of support from the industry and the community had been "overwhelming".

"It's been a great response and donations through the Givealittle page will really help the families in the Philippines," he said.

Dunstan said the two workers in Waikato Hospital were now recovering after undergoing surgeries.

"They are doing really well, better than we expected. Their spirits are good, especially now they have relatives here to support them," he said.

Dunstan said the mother of one of the two men in hospital arrived in the country on Saturday from the Philippines. The wife of the other man had also arrived in the country.

"It will still be a long road to recovery for both men and it is not known how long they will need to stay in the hospital," he said.

Dunstan said any financial support the community could offer would be gratefully accepted.

"We intend to find a financial advisor to assist in distributing the monies raised and help the families to decide how to use the funds wisely, " he said.

Tauranga and Waikato Filipino community members have been supporting the men, including cooking meals and visiting them, and in other practical ways, Dunstan said.