Pair killed in Lake Rotomā crash named

Police divers at the scene of the crash. Photo / Andrew Warner

The two people that died in a crash at Lake Rotomā on Saturday have been named by police.

Bibi Ali of Ranui and David Alexander Fawcett Jarden of Totara Heights died after a single-vehicle collision along State Highway 30.

Emergency services were first called to the scene at Ōtangiwai Point on State Highway 30, east of Rotorua, at 12.40pm on Saturday.

There they found that a silver Mercedes Benz had plunged into Lake Rotomā.

Two Māori wardens spent 15 hours at the lake from 5.30pm, until police divers retrieved two bodies and the vehicle was pulled out on Sunday.

The bodies of Jarden, 54 and Ali, 53 were retrieved by police divers yesterday as their silver, four-door vehicle was removed from the lake.

Police extended their sympathies to the families and friends of the pair at this difficult time.

In a statement, a police spokesperson urged anyone who may have seen their vehicle - a silver Mercedes Benz, registration JZY733 in the Rotorua Lakes area on Saturday to contact police.

A Lake Rotomā resident said the corner was notorious for crashes.

Shane, who only gave his first name, said he lived across the road from the corner for about four years before moving down the road a few years ago.

In that time there were often people losing control of their cars on that corner, he said.

"I've seen a few accidents but nothing where they've gone right in."

Shane said there had been a metal safety barrier recently installed.

"Since that happened, we haven't had many crashes - until now. It's pretty unreal."

He said the corner had a layby where people diving or swimming often parked their cars.

"It would've probably saved their lives, if there were cars parked there."

Lake Rotomā is the fourth-largest of the 11 lakes in the Rotorua Lakes district.

Can you help? If you saw the vehicle in the area on Saturday July 11, contact police on 105 and quote file number 200712/8440.