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Police have confirmed one person has died and two others are seriously injured after a ute rolled on Muriwai Beach.
The Serious Crash Unit is investigating and inquiries into the cause of the crash are ongoing.
A fisherman told the Herald a ute was “hooning” on Muriwai Beach before itflipped, throwing a teenage girl from the vehicle and crushing her.
Emergency services and two rescue helicopters rushed to the accident scene on Auckland’s west coast about 2.30pm today.
A witness told the Herald a vehicle had been doing burnouts on the beach when the tragedy unfolded.
Emergency services on Muriwai Beach after a car rolled ejecting a passenger from the vehicle. Photo / Supplied
It was not known whether the young male driver had been injured.
Another witness to the aftermath of the incident told the Herald he had seen a ute “hooning” on Muriwai Beach earlier in the day before emergency services descended on the crash site.
The man, who wished to remain anonymous, said a girl was in the back of the ute as a man drove it on the beach doing doughnuts.
“We finished fishing and on our way back we came across [the accident scene], and a fireman told us a girl had been killed. We saw her body lying outside the ute just by the rear tyre there.
“One was taken to hospital, one was dead and the other was being taken by police.”
He said the incident was tragic, and he felt for the families affected.
“Those utes they just flip so quickly. They dig in and before you know it you’re on your roof. These young ones, it’s one moment of stupidity and now their families are trapped forever.”
A spokesman for the rescue service confirmed two helicopters responded to the accident scene on the beach where there were “multiple patients”. A male in his 20s was airlifted to Auckland City Hospital in a moderate condition.
A police spokesperson confirmed they were also attending the incident.
An Auckland Council spokesperson told the Herald they were aware of the “tragic accident” on the beach but had no further information as they had not been briefed by emergency services.
Emergency services on Muriwai Beach after a car rolled ejecting a passenger from the vehicle. One person has died and three are injured. Photo / Supplied
Fire and Emergency New Zealand shift manager Paul Radden confirmed four appliances attended the accident site, with crews from Muriwai, Shelly Beach, Whenuapai and Helensville. They were called to the scene at 2.38pm and referred the Herald to police as the lead agency for any further questions.
A spokesperson for Hato Hone St John ambulance service said they were notified of the incident and they sent one first response unit, one operations manager, and two helicopters. Paramedics helped the rescue helicopter crew to treat two patients.
A person in Muriwai told the Herald he could see a rescue helicopter responding, along with “many police and fire [responders] heading up Muriwai Beach”.
Rodney local board chair Brent Bailey told the Herald vehicles on the beach are in direct conflict with beach-goers who want to use the beach for activities like kite surfing and sunbathing.
“As a Muriwai resident and someone who supports the decision to ban [vehicles] I have sympathy for the regional park staff who have to deal with the amount of traffic and congestion and competing uses.
“The immature behaviour by a small segment of the community has already caused tragedy - and I think it’s probably avoidable.”
Local resident Ed Donald said he’d been pushing for years to have better policing of vehicle access to the beach.
He said the current speed limit of 60km/h on the beach was ridiculous, and it should be dropped to 10km/h - as well as having police deployed to prosecute rule breakers.
“We have been asking and asking for more policing on the beach and they just say, ‘We don’t have the resources’.”
Donald said the death was “tragic” but feared further deaths could follow if action wasn’t taken.
“How many deaths do you need?”
The incident comes a week after Muriwai Beach re-opened to vehicles. Auckland Council decided in October last year to close the beach in an attempt to manage the impact of vehicles on the ecosystem, banning them from driving on the beach during the height of summer and other holidays such as Guy Fawkes weekend.
From late December to January 15 every year until 2026, the beach will be closed to vehicles.
“Unpermitted vehicle activity is having a major impact on some of our most threatened species and damaging the sand dunes,” said Auckland Council regional parks principal specialist Stephen Bell.
“We’ve already had reports of serious harm caused to wildlife in the area. People need to understand how fragile this environment is and be aware of how they impact on their surroundings, especially other visitors, shorebirds and animals on the beach.”
