One killed in central North Island crash

Part of State Highway 4 has been closed after a fatal accident. Photo / File

A person is dead and one other seriously injured after a car crashed near a highway this morning.

The crash happened on State Highway 4 about 30km north of Taumarunui in the King Country, central North Island.

A 22 year-old male passenger has been airlifted to Waikato Hospital and was seriously injured.

The vehicle left the road, went down a ditch and hit a tree this morning.

State Highway 4 has been closed as emergency services try and remove the vehicle.

A Police Central Communications spokesman said the identity and gender of the person who died was yet to be established.

The victim was still in the vehicle at about 6.40am.

No other vehicles were involved in the crash.

There were no diversions in place.

The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) said the crash, near Ohura Road, had closed one of the highway's two lanes.

NZTA said traffic management was in place.