Auckland Airport crash: Arvind Kummar dies, wife injured on way to Fiji for a funeral

Arvind Kummar was killed in a 4am car accident on George Bolt Memorial Drive near Auckland Airport.

A man killed in a three-car crash near Auckland Airport was about to drop his wife off for a flight to Fiji where she was attending a funeral.

Arvind Kummar, 45, died in a crash about 4am last Wednesday on George Bolt Memorial Drive, the main road leading to the airport.

His wife Jashoda Goundar was injured in the crash, which temporarily closed the road.

A close family friend told the Herald Kummar’s wife is recovering from serious spinal injuries in Middlemore Hospital.

“They were driving to the airport. The wife was going to Fiji. Arvind was going to drop her and then get to work,” the friend, who wished to remain anonymous, said.

“She was ... going to the funeral, her aunt’s funeral.”

His wife currently cannot walk and has fractured ribs, spinal cord injuries and damage to her backbone, the friend said.

“Yesterday I just visited her. She’s a bit fine, but not like perfect. Like she’s crying because yesterday was the funeral.”

Kummar’s wife was able to watch the funeral via a livestream.

Arvind Kummar, 45, died in an accident on George Bolt Memorial Drive. Photo / Supplied

Kummar, whose nickname was “Ronald”, was a truck driver in Fiji and had come to New Zealand two years ago on a work visa.

“We dearly miss Arvind Kummar so much,” the friend said.

“May Allah give sympathy to his mum and dad, who already lost one son 20 years ago.

“We are attached like family.”

Kummar was the sole earner in the family and looking after his parents, wife, sisters, and nieces.

His friend described him as a very religious person who was always praying and singing songs.

“I know, for me, he was a perfect person.

“Like my daughters, like he was like brother of my daughters. He was very nice person. I have never met a nicer person ever before.”

George Bolt Memorial Drive in Auckland airport where a 4am fatal crash occurred. Photo / Jason Dorday

The friend said she was “particularly hurting” as they were just starting to plan a surprise for Kummar’s birthday later this month.

Tributes in Fijian Community Pages on Facebook described him as a dedicated and religious person who “never turned back to say no”.

“He was the beloved son of Mr & Mrs Muttu Sami Dadua of Lauwaki Settlement, Lautoka.”

The crash was reported about 4am on Wednesday, near the intersection with Tom Pearce Drive.

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