Four members of the same family have been killed in crashes at the same remote East Coast location.
The three people who died when their car careened off the road in Te Araroa and into a tree on Monday have been named as Tiny Tibble, 43, Ashton-Lee Rangihuna, 14, and Ana-Roimata Rangihuna, 10.
Te Araroa fire chief Dick Cook told Stuff that the victims were from the same family as a crash last month at the same location.
Tibble was the partner of local man Lance Rangihuna - and the two children were his, Stuff reports.
Lance was killed in the exact same place in the same circumstances on 15 October when his vehicle left the road and smashed into the same tree which has now killed his family.
Enquiries into Monday's crash are ongoing, and Detective Sergeant Eric Hunter says the crash is "an absolute tragedy".
"There will be many in the community affected. Police, victim support and other partner agencies are working to support the whanau, friends and community."
A Te Araroa business owner, who wished to remain anonymous, told Stuff the latest crash victims were well known in the community.
"This is a very devastating day for the town. Everyone is talking about it. It is sad."
