Whanganui Chronicle
  • Whanganui Chronicle home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Taranaki
  • National Park
  • Whakapapa
  • Ohakune
  • Raetihi
  • Taihape
  • Marton
  • Feilding
  • Palmerston North

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • New Plymouth
  • Whanganui
  • Palmertson North
  • Levin

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Whanganui Chronicle

Newborn baby among seven dead in head-on collision near Waverley

Jacob McSweeny
By Jacob McSweeny
Assistant news director·Whanganui Chronicle·
27 Jun, 2018 05:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Six people are dead and two have critical injuries after a horror crash near Waverley in South Taranaki.

A newborn baby is among seven people killed while an eighth person fights for her life after a horrific car crash near Waverley yesterday morning.

The head-on collision happened between two cars on a bend on State Highway 3 just after the Waverley Racecourse about 11am.

An 8-year-old girl who was critically injured in the crash died in Waikato Hospital early this morning, police said.

Four people were in each car.

Two passengers, a woman the 8-year-old girl, were flown to Wellington and Waikato hospitals with critical injuries.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

With them in the same car were the newborn baby and an adult male driver who both died at the scene.

The four elderly people in the other car, which was travelling west towards Hawera, all died at the scene.

The Central Districts road policing manager, Inspector David White, said it was possible the two taken to hospital might not make it.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"My understanding is when they left the scene here they were all Stat one [Status 1] which is very seriously injured."

White said there was little more to say than that it was a devastating scene.

"Six people have lost their lives and others are in hospital.

"That this happened on a day like today is just unbelievable and just devastating for those involved."

A police investigation is ongoing.

Discover more

New Zealand

Worst fatal in 13 years: Eight-year-old girl is seventh killed in horror crash

27 Jun 05:00 PM

Fatal crash in Utiku, south of Taihape

27 Jun 08:40 PM
New Zealand

Crash victim turned 8 day before she died

27 Jun 08:22 PM

The section of State Highway 3 that had been closed most of the day would remain closed until further notice according to the NZ Transport Agency.

Cars had to be diverted off SH3 down Ihupuku Rd and motorists were advised to avoid the area.

About 20 large trucks had to park on the side of the road or in the town of Waverley as the diversion road couldn't take their weight.

White couldn't give much detail about the driving conditions at the time of the collision, which appeared to be clear, but Taranaki police had warned about ice on the roads earlier in the morning.

"Today our priority is dealing with those at the scene and also providing some support and comfort to their families and that's where our thoughts are.

"Our investigation is in really early stages but I can say that it would appear the cars have collided head-on on the slight bend on the road."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Three rescue helicopters, two fire engines, three ambulances and multiple police officers were at the crash.

Yesterday's crash followed a fatal truck smash in Waverley on Monday.

In warning about ice on the roads, Taranaki police said there had been four crashes between 5am and 7am all caused by ice.

A third helicopter arriving at the scene of the crash.  Photo / Bevan Conley
A third helicopter arriving at the scene of the crash. Photo / Bevan Conley

"We need motorists across Taranaki to be extremely cautious on the roads this morning after four crashes caused by ice on the road since 5am," police said.

"Any patches of road which appear wet will likely be ice and should be treated as such.

"Police are also advising people to check their vehicles and tyres are roadworthy and ensure all windows are completely clear of ice before getting behind the wheel."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

As of yesterday 187 people had died on New Zealand roads so far this year, up from 183 at the same point in 2017.

Emergency services at the scene of a motor vehicle accident on State Highway 3 near Waverley.  Photo / Bevan Conley
Emergency services at the scene of a motor vehicle accident on State Highway 3 near Waverley. Photo / Bevan Conley

Over the past 12 months 382 died, up from 343 in the previous 12 months.

Photo / Stuart Munro
Photo / Stuart Munro
Photo / Stuart Munro
Photo / Stuart Munro
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui Chronicle

'Surprising' lack of property value growth in Whanganui region

Premium
OpinionKevin Page

Kevin Page: Facing fears, finding humour and relief in medical journey

Whanganui Chronicle

Council officers back deconstructing St George's buildings


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

'Surprising' lack of property value growth in Whanganui region
Whanganui Chronicle

'Surprising' lack of property value growth in Whanganui region

However, Pātea has a 4% increase in average property value in the past six months.

14 Jul 06:00 PM
Premium
Premium
 Kevin Page: Facing fears, finding humour and relief in medical journey
Kevin Page
OpinionKevin Page

Kevin Page: Facing fears, finding humour and relief in medical journey

14 Jul 05:00 PM
Council officers back deconstructing St George's buildings
Whanganui Chronicle

Council officers back deconstructing St George's buildings

14 Jul 04:59 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Whanganui Chronicle e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Whanganui Chronicle
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP