On Monday, crash investigator Detective Senior Sergeant Brent Greville said evidence at State Highway 2 scene uphill of the Mohaka Viaduct underpass just south of Raupunga suggested the possible involvement of a second vehicle.
Police were not aware of any witnesses to Saturday's crash. The white Honda carrying the four men to a Mongrel Mob Hastings chapter 50th anniversary at Te Aute crossed the road and crashed over a barrier and down a bank, coming to rest in the river an estimated 150 metres from the road.
The Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter Service rescued the sole survivor, a man it said was aged 44, from the riverbank near the vehicle. He was not seriously injured, and was taken to Wairoa Hospital from where he was discharged on Monday.
The police wouldn't know whether the man had swum to safety or been thrown out of the vehicle until he had been interviewed fully.
A resident of the community in which the man is thought to have grown-up said he understood the man could remember little apart from the vehicle "spinning".
Ms McGehan said that extra police resources had been brought to Hawke's Bay to help, with resources stretched after homicide inquiries surrounding deaths of a two-year-old boy in Flaxmere on October 13 and a 24-year-old woman in Westshore on the night of October 26. Staff were also investigating another road fatality which happened near Te Haroto on the Napier-Taupo road, less than an hour after the tragedy on the Napier-Wairoa road.
Saturday's deaths took the road toll in Hawke's Bay this year to 17, the same as this time last year.
There have been seven in the Hastings District, four in the Wairoa District, three each in Napier and in the Tararua District, and none in Central Hawke's Bay, according to figures provided to Hawke's Bay Today by the Ministry of Transport.
Eight of the deaths had happened within eight weeks since mid-September. Of those who've died, 13 were men, and there have been just two aged under 20 - a 19-year-old man and a girl aged 15.
Gangs 'to put lid on it'
Mongrel Mob leaders yesterday called for calm and for people to let friends and family of killed men Ronald Rigby, TerryShane Stone and Nathan Isaac grieve in the appropriate way.
Rangi 'Bags' Tamati, of Wairoa, and Rex Timu, of Hastings, promised Mongrel Mob and Black Power leaders would get together as soon as possible after this week's tangi to resolve any issues surrounding the tragedy.
Mr Timu, who was involved in organising Saturday's anniversary function, was in Wairoa yesterday and on behalf of Mr Tamati said that in many communities over recent times relationships between the gangs had been good, but "little" things had started "popping up" throughout the country this week, including "bad" things on Facebook.
"We want to put a lid on it right away," Mr Timu said, expecting the men's bodies back in Wairoa later yesterday. "Our thoughts are with the whanau. Bags wants everyone to concentrate on bringing the bros back home, and to think about the families, about those who are in Australia."
Mr Timu said that message extended to mob members and others inside jail.
"Everyone's thoughts and everyone's aroha go out to the whanau in grieving at this time."
The Department of Corrections said there had been "no noticeable increase in incidents" attributable to gang tensions in jails this week.
Wairoa Mayor Craig Little said the leaders' approach was "really commendable" and "fantastic", and showed "how passionate about the district of Wairoa these guys are".
He had not been aware of any recent conflict, was not involved in any discussions relating to latest issues, and said: "We need to concentrate on the families."
