Two children die as father chases runaway ute

A man desperately chased a runaway utility vehicle as it plunged down a steep hill yesterday, taking two of his children to their deaths.

Hayley Jayne Keenan, 20 months, and her brother, Cody Andrew Keenan, 4, were alone in the double-cab utility when it careered nearly 170m at Mt Hyde Station, near Hindon, 40km northwest of Dunedin.

Senior Sergeant Alistair Dickie, of Mosgiel, said the two children and their sister, 7, were playing in a paddock near their father, Andrew, who was digging out thistles on the property, where he is an employee.

About noon the two youngest children became cold and climbed into the warmth of the utility cab.

"The children's dad has told us that he had the ute parked, with the gear-stick in reverse and the handbrake on, but he turned around to see it moving," Mr Dickie said.

Mr Keenan chased the vehicle but the final gradient - about 65 degrees - gave him little chance of catching it. The utility travelled 168m, landing in a gully.

Cody was thrown from the vehicle but his sister was trapped inside.

Mr Keenan scooped Cody into his arms and carried him part-way up the steep hill but was unable to revive him.

Hayley was found dead in the utility and was cut out by firefighters.

Two farm-dogs in the utility also died.

"This is just such a tragic scene. I know a lot of the emergency people here are feeling it," Mr Dickie said.

"I'm a bit shaken myself, to be honest."

The family were "understandably distraught".

The children's mother, Natalie, was out of town when the accident happened and police intercepted her vehicle near Milton to tell her of the tragedy.

"It's what nightmares are made of."

The steep, hilly terrain of Mt Hyde Station meant it was difficult for emergency services to reach the scene, said Mr Dickie.

"We had to park about 200m from the gully and walk down to it.

"Fortunately, one of the fire brigade's four-wheel-drive vehicles was able to make it down to the gully to cut the little girl out."

The extensive damage to the vehicle meant it was difficult for police to decide whether the handbrake was on.

"We'll have to get the whole vehicle checked - brakes, the handbrake, everything," Mr Dickie said. 

Occupational Safety and Health regional service manager Mark Murray said investigators were trying to decide if it was a work-related accident.

"At this point in time it does look that way."

He said OSH would work with police on the investigation.

"It's just a tragic accident and our sympathies go out to the family."

The 202ha station, owned by Greg and Trish Keen, runs sheep and cattle.

Mr Keen said no one at the station wanted to speak to reporters.

Community board member Russell Anderson said locals were devastated by the tragedy.

He said the family were new to the district but were known locally.

"[The father] is just a young chappie making his way in the world. He's had a few jobs before and happens to be working here."

Mr Anderson said the community would offer the family any assistance.

- NZPA