Korean ski champs crash: Families begin their own investigation into Canterbury tragedy

The families of the young Korean ski champs killed in a crash near Geraldine have launched their own investigation into what happened - including the possibility that 400kg of luggage packed into the back of the van contributed to the tragedy.

Junwoo Park, 24, Sangseo Kim, 16 and coach Bum-Hee Cho, 23, died in the head-on crash on August 14.

They and other athletes and coaches were travelling in convoy after a day of training when the crash happened.

The fatal crash happened near Geraldine. Graphic / Richard Dale

Police are still investigating the cause of the crash - between a 4WD and the team’s van people-mover - on State Highway 79 at about 3.15pm on August 14.

Another team member and the driver of the 4WD were seriously injured.

Park’s parents reached out to the Herald this week seeking information about the fatal incident.

“We are collecting various data from Korea to accurately investigate the cause of my child’s death,” said Jin Hyun Park.“Our families are conducting their own investigation and are considering the possibility that our children died as a result of the luggage loaded in the vehicle.

“It seems that the secondary impact was caused by the luggage during the accident.”

Police could not comment further while their investigation continued.

Three people have died in a two-vehicle crash on State Highway 79 near Geraldine. Photo / George Heard

Park also wondered if first responders were delayed in getting to the victims because of the amount of luggage.

There was about 400kg of gear in the van and Park provided a list that included skis, boots, a 10kg snow drill, training gates and poles.

Park said Kim remained in hospital with a “severe collapse of the occipital region of his brain”.

“This means that the luggage loaded in the back strongly hit [his] occipital region,” he told the Herald.

Following the crash, a source told the Herald that the incident was witnessed by a number of other team members, including a recent Olympic competitor.

She said the group was in New Zealand to compete at the Winter Games in Queenstown at Cardrona, Coronet Peak and The Remarkables.

A plaque bearing the names of the victims was placed at the scene earlier this month

Anna Leask is a Christchurch-based reporter who covers national crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2008 and has worked as a journalist for 18 years with a particular focus on family violence, child abuse, sexual violence, homicides, mental health and youth crime. She writes, hosts and produces the award-winning podcast A Moment In Crime, released monthly on nzherald.co.nz