The police serious crash had completed a scene investigation and inquiries were continuing.
Mr Gaskin said the crash was "absolutely gut-wrenching''.
"It's just the worst nightmare that we just didn't expect. We put extra staff on the road, we've concentrated on the areas where there's a lot of traffic.''
However, the crash happened on a road seldom frequented by holiday traffic.
Mr Gaskin said it was mainly used by traffic travelling to and from Fonterra's Clandeboye dairy factory.
"This is just a real tragedy.''
The Clandeboye dairy factory is one of Fonterra's largest sites, processing about 40 per cent of the milk it collects from the South Island.
National road policing manager Superintendent Carey Griffiths yesterday called on drivers to help ensure the road toll this Easter stayed at zero.
"It would be outstanding if we were able to repeat last year's result this weekend and make history for a second time,'' he said.
"Last Easter we showed that we all can make a very real difference by collectively watching our speed, wearing our seatbelts, not driving drunk and maintaining our concentration, particularly as more people travel away over the break.''
Mr Griffiths said police would be a highly visible presence in urban and rural areas throughout the country over Easter.
They would focus on enforcing the lowered 4km/h speed tolerance, which applies during all holiday periods, as well as targeting drunk and dangerous driving.
More than 560 people have been killed in Easter road crashes since 1956.
