Two Swedish Tourists Killed on Dangerous Northland Road

Within hours of their arrival in New Zealand two young Swedish tourists have been killed on a notorious stretch of road

Source NZ Herald

"Relatives of two Swedish tourists who died in a car crash in Northland are being sought by Interpol to tell them of the tragedy.

The two young women, both in their early 20s, died when they lost control of their car on the northern side of the Brynderwyn Hills, south of Whangarei yesterday.

Their car crossed the centre line and hit a north bound car, killing the two women and slightly injuring the driver and front seat passenger of the north bound car."

Whangarei Sergeant Chris Goodall said the road had a "decided history of loss of control accident whenever it rains." and that although the road was three lanes wide there was a tendency for people to "fall off" and to lose concentration.
According to the Herald it was the second fatal accident in the area in two days. On Friday Robert Watene, 22, died when his car and a truck collided on State Highway 1 near the Waipu turnoff, about 30km north of the Brynderwyn Hills.

The deceased were later named as 20 year old  Emelie Jenny Green and Theresia Andrea Johansson.

362 Killed in last 12 months

In the year to 27 Feb a total of 362 people have been killed on New Zealand's roads, 66 of them in the last 2 months.


See also 'Eva Kosanic, French National, Dies in Northland Car Crash'

British Newspaper Publishes "Suicide Hill" Story

According to the UK's Telegraph newspaper part of the Omapere sand dunes is known locally as "suicide hill"

Source: Telegraph, UK

By John Bingham and Paul Chapman

"(Thomas Donaldson) died in hospital in Auckland on Wednesday after the "sand duning" accident in the north of the country 10 days ago.

Mr Donaldson, from the village of Duffield near Belper, Derbyshire, was riding down the slope on a boogie board - a form of surf board - with three friends at Omapere, 160 miles north west of Auckland, last Monday when he ran into difficulties.

He was airlifted to hospital in nearby Whangerei with head injuries before being transferred to Auckland where he was placed on a life support machine.

His father Michael, 58, a GP in Belper, and mother Jacqueline, 51, are believed to have been at his bedside when the machine was switched off on Wednesday.

A relative at the family home said that they had flown to New Zealand following news of the accident last week.

Staff at Ecclesbourne School near Derby, where Mr Donaldson was head boy, described him as a "wonderful and popular young man of huge promise".

"His life was a positive influence on many others and the impact of this news has been profound," said a spokesman for the school.

"Tom's family are in our thoughts and prayers."

Sand duning is a cross between snow boarding and surfing in which enthusiasts ride down a steep embankment on a board either standing up or on their stomachs.

Known for its dramatic dunes Omapere has become popular with enthusiasts and has specially marked safe slopes.

But one local witness claimed that the four men had been riding outside a safe area on a near-300ft high embankment with a 90 degree drop at the bottom.

Visitors are frequently warned against boarding on the slope nicknamed "Suicide Hill".

His companions, who have not been named, reached the bottom but Mr Donaldson landed badly, local reports said.

It is thought the board may have dug into the sand sending him tumbling on.

The others, who also had medical training, gave first aid at the scene before he was airlifted by a rescue helicopter.

The home of bungee jumping, New Zealand has become a Mecca for fans of extreme sports in recent years.

But it carries risks. Recently two Australian brothers died when they were hit by falling ice after crossing viewing barriers at a glacier.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said that the family were receiving consular assistance in New Zealand."

British Tourist in Napier Attack is Named

Source: Telegraph, UK
By Paul Chapman in Wellington

"A British tourist left fighting for his life in a New Zealand hospital after being assaulted so viciously that police say his attackers' boot marks were left imprinted on his head and face has been named.

Stuart Martin, a 31-year-old from Scotland, is in a coma in Hawke's Bay Hospital with a severe head injury.

His condition is described as critical.

Mr Martin, who has been living in Australia, had flown to the North Island seaside resort of Napier to attend the wedding on Saturday of a friend, Rory McBrearty.

He had been at a stag party when he became separated from the others, and police say he was set upon while walking past shops in the suburb of Taradale about 1am on Friday.

Mr McBrearty, also 31, has been keeping vigil at his comatose friend's hospital bedside.

He said: "I'm pretty upset about it all. It's overwhelming.

"I'm on the verge of a breakdown to tell the truth," he told Wellington's Dominion-Post newspaper.

He said that hospital staff were "not saying much about his condition, but it's pretty serious".

The two have been good friends for more than six years.

He described Mr Martin as "a small, friendly guy who makes friends with everyone".

A badly shaken Mr McBrearty told the newspaper that he and about 20 friends had spent much of Thursday being driven on a pub crawl.

"It was just your normal stag do. It was good. We finished up at a friend's place in Taradale."

No one in the stag party had noticed that Mr Martin was missing until they saw a police cordon around the scene while walking home through the suburb's town centre.

Detectives say they are "appalled" by the extent of his injuries.

They said a witness saw the victim being stomped on the face and head after he was knocked to the ground. The attack left him unconscious in the street.

Detective Sergeant Brian Schaab said: "The witness was unable to intervene but called police as the attack was in progress."

Three 17-year-old local youths have appeared in Napier District Court on Friday and were remanded in custody to reappear on March 4.

The three, named as Darrin Peter Wright, Hamish Glenn Bowman, and Joshua McConville, have all been charged with assault.

Police say further, possibly more serious, charges may follow"