Five with serious injuries after three Hawke’s Bay and Tararua highway crashes in less than 24 hours

A person was transported to Hawke's Bay Hospital after emergency services rescued them from a rolled vehicle on Friday.

Two people have been critically injured and another three seriously hurt after three crashes in less than 24 hours on Hawke’s Bay and Tararua highways.

One person was airlifted to hospital after a vehicle rolled into a ditch on State Highway 2, in North Hawke’s Bay, early on Friday.

Emergency services, including two helicopters, were called to the highway near the intersection with Mohaka Coach Rd in the Wairoa district about 4.45am and closed the road for a short time.

A Fire and Emergency NZ spokeswoman said: “There was one person still in the vehicle, and we extricated them.”

A Hato Hone St John spokeswoman said one person in a serious condition was airlifted to Hawke’s Bay Hospital. Another person was assessed at the scene and did not require transport.

A police spokeswoman said the road reopened by 6.30am.

State Highway 51 was closed on Thursday night after a serious two-car crash in Clive.

Emergency services were alerted about 7.50pm to the crash on State Highway 51 north of the intersection with Farndon Rd.

One person was taken to hospital in a moderate condition, and two more in a serious condition.

Another person injured had not left the scene by 9.20pm.

NZTA said SH51 reopened between Farndon Rd and the Ngaruroro River bridge about 9.05pm.

Earlier on Thursday, a serious crash along State Highway 2 near Dannevirke left two people critically injured.

Police were notified of the two-vehicle collision about 1.40pm.

A Hato Hone St John spokesperson said three patients were assessed.

“Two of these patients, both in critical condition, were airlifted to Palmerston North Hospital. The third patient, in minor to moderate condition, was transported by road to Palmerston North Hospital.”

A police spokeswoman said the road reopened at 5.48pm.