Rotorua motorcycle crash: Woman rider dies and another woman rider seriously hurt

A woman riding a motorcycle has died and another woman is in a serious condition following a crash on State Highway 30, Tikitere, near Rotorua.

The crash happened about 10.40am on the top of Tikitere hill past the passing lanes at Hell's Gate.

Bay of Plenty road policing manger Inspector Brent Crowe said a car collided with two motorcycles. A woman riding one of the motorcycles was killed and a second woman was taken to Rotorua Hospital in a serious condition.

He said it was too soon to say how the crash happened but the police's Serious Crash Unit would do a thorough investigation.

The road was closed to all traffic not long after the crash and reopened just after 3pm. Diversion were in place for just over four hours while the road was closed.

A journalist at the scene said traffic was banked up a long way in both directions while the road was closed.

Fire, police and St John Ambulance attended the scene.

Crowe called on any members of the public who witnessed the crash to come forward to police by calling (07) 348 0099.

The death means there have now been six people killed on roads within the Rotorua police district since the start of the year. Eleven people died on Rotorua roads in all of 2018.

Three Rotorua men were killed on Tuesday last week in a crash at a work site at Matatā. Matatā is in the Bay of Plenty police district but outside of the Rotorua area.

The men were all Higgins road workers - Haki Hiha, David Eparaima and Dudley Soul Raroa.

Two of their colleagues were also injured and have since been discharged from hospital.