Mamaku crash: One dead, State Highway 5 closed for hours

One person has died following a crash on State Highway 5 in Mamaku.

The highway was closed for several hours following the crash north of Mamaku, on the border of South Waikato and the Bay of Plenty.

The sole occupant of the vehicle died at the scene, police said.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand said they were alerted to the motor vehicle crash in the Kaimai Mamaku Conservation Park and responded with five crews from Putararu and Rotorua.

The single-vehicle crash between Galaxy Rd and Barker Rd was reported about 3:50pm.

Hato Hone St John said they responded with one ambulance, one rapid response unit, and one helicopter.

The Serious Crash Unit were conducting a scene examination, police said.

A police spokeswoman said the highway reopened sometime after 8pm.

Malisha Kumar is a multimedia journalist based in Hamilton. She joined the Waikato Herald in 2023 after working for Radio 1XX in Whakatāne.