Three hurt, two children critical in Waiuku crash south of Auckland

At least three people were injured in the crash in Waiuku, south of Auckland. Photo / Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopters

Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopters' chief medic has described seeing two crumpled cars at the scene of a crash in Waiuku and helping a 6-year-old girl critically injured in the smash.

Two children are in Starship Hospital in a stable condition after suffering critical injuries in the crash in Waiuku, south of Auckland, around 3.30pm yesterday.

Another person was also moderately injured in the crash and is in Middlemore Hospital. It is believed at least two others suffered more minor injuries in the collision.

Karl Taylor was in one of two Westpac Rescue Helicopters deployed to the site of the two-vehicle crash, on Awhitu Rd.

Taylor described the scene as "fairly chaotic".

"It was a high speed, head-on crash and the patients were pretty unwell."

Taylor said the front of both cars were crumpled in as a result of the crash.

A Fire and Emergency New Zealand crew attended, though Taylor did not think either of the children had to be cut out of the vehicle.

The kids were "obviously" traumatised, he said. The 6-year-old with critical injuries that he was tending to was suffering from abdominal injuries.

While his patient was conscious, another patient, a 3-year-old also suffering from critical injuries, had "fluctuating" levels of consciousness.

The 3-year-old had suffered a serious head injury in the crash.

"The fact that they were both going at a pretty high speed - there was a lot of damage to the vehicles and you get some pretty sick patients."

A St John Ambulance spokeswoman confirmed the two patients had been flown to Starship Children's Hospital in separate Westpac Rescue Helicopters.

Another person had been transported to Middlemore Hospital.

The crash happened on Awhitu Rd and involved two vehicles.

Westpac Rescue Helicopters were transporting the patients to hospital. Photo / Google Maps

A section of the road was blocked and diversions were put in place at the intersections of Taurangaruru Rd and Kaihau Rd.

The Serious Crash Unit had also been notified of the crash.