Sombre trip for Argentinian family

The family of accident victim Carolina Patron Costas, her mother Magdalena, father Jose and brother Jose jun, lay flowers at the scene of last week's fatal crash. Photo / Olivia Caldwell

A little peace came yesterday for the family of Carolina Patron Costas when her mother, father and brother visited the scene of her death last week following a crash on one of the Wakatipu's busiest roads.

The 23-year-old lawyer who was working at Millbrook Resort "loved New Zealand" and had plans to travel through Asia from December 24 when her working visa ran out, her brother Jose junior Patron Costas said while blessing the crash scene yesterday.

Her plans were cut short when on Thursday her car collided with a tree on Malaghans Road on her way to work, leaving the Patron Costas family back home in Argentina shattered.

Carolina was the youngest of seven children and from a strong Catholic background, and a special service was held at Arrowtown's Catholic Church yesterday by Alexandra priest Father Pat Mcgettigan.

A loving friend, happy, peaceful and always wearing a smile was how older brother Jose junior Patron Costas described his sister.

"Everyone loves Carolina. She was happy, always with a smile, friendly. She was not just a sister, but a friend."

"Carolina loves Queenstown, she loves New Zealand because it was different here."

Mother Magdalena, father Jose and Jose Junior all flew in to Queenstown on Monday. While Carolina enjoyed the surrounds of her home country Argentina, she felt at home in Queenstown, her mother said.

She graduated from a Catholic University as a lawyer before coming to New Zealand,

The family were notified of the accident through a cousin last week and had to wait for confirmation from the New Zealand Police over the phone.

Today they will plant her favourite flower, a rose, at Millbrook Resort in remembrance of her.