Auckland motorway crash: Person dead after serious collision

One person has died following yesterday’s serious crash that brought traffic to a standstill for hours on Auckland’s Southern Motorway.

The crash which involved a truck, van and car, happened about 9.40am between Papakura and Takanini heading into the city.

“The person sadly passed away at the scene,” police said in a statement this morning.

“Our thoughts are with their family and friends at this difficult time.”

Serious crash investigators were looking into the cause of the crash.

The crash blocked parts of the motorway for four hours yesterday after police closed all northbound lanes at 10am.

At one point the gridlock spanned 8km.

Traffic was diverted along rural roads but some traffic caught between off-ramps were left waiting in vehicles for much of the morning.