Fatal Ramarama crash: Police slam ‘horrible’ livestreams after three Samoan seasonal workers killed

• Three Samoan seasonal workers died in a horrific crash in Ramarama, Auckland
• Police condemned livestreamers after a video showed dead bodies at the crash
• Police also acknowledged the support of the public who assisted at the scene

Police have slammed “disgusting” livestreams showing the tragic road accident that killed three people in Auckland yesterday.

Three seasonal workers from Samoa, aged 45, 37 and 32, died in the horror crash in Ramarama, while three of their colleagues are currently recovering in hospital.

The aftermath was livestreamed to social media, which Counties Manukau Road Policing Manager Inspector Tony Wakelin condemned during a media stand-up this afternoon.

“I saw some of the footage. It was filmed before emergency services arrived, there was close-ups of people deceased in the van and injured lying on the road. I thought it was horrible, as did a lot of my colleagues. That’s not acceptable,” he said.

“I say to the people that are filming that, ‘How would you feel if that was your family?’

“Please refrain from doing that. We had a small element that turned up that were fantastic and offered assistance, then we get another small element that were filming, spreading it live around social media.”

Multi-vehicle crash involving truck closes all lanes of State Highway 1 in South Auckland near Bombay.

It appeared a truck travelling southbound had a tyre blow out, Wakelin said, causing it to cross into the northbound lane, where it collided with a van and two other vehicles.

A 21-year-old man remains in a critical condition, while two other men aged 42 and 39 are in hospital with moderate injuries.

Two people in one of the other vehicles were treated for minor injuries. The truck driver was treated for minor injuries and has been discharged from hospital.

Wakelin confirmed those killed included seasonal workers from Samoa who were due to go back to the motherland this week.

“This was a horrific crash, and we are continuing to provide support for everyone affected, including emergency workers at the scene.”

Photo / Supplied

A graphic showing the location of the fatal Ramarama crash.

Wakelin said there would be a lot of work ahead in finding out how exactly the crash occurred.

“Every single element, including road factors, driver factors, vehicles, everything that forms every aspect of the crash will be investigated to the nth degree.”

Wakelin thanked the members of the public who got out of their vehicles to assist at the scene.

He said it was too early to comment on the safety of the wire barrier the truck travelled through.

“This is one of those tragic ones which was very difficult to prevent. We want to keep people safe on our roads, that’s why we come to work to do that.”

Wakelin said support would continue to be provided for everyone affected, including staff who attended the scene.

Ben Tomsett is a Multimedia Journalist for the New Zealand Herald, based in Dunedin.