Tourists killed in Canterbury highway crash

The two people who died after a three-vehicle crash south of Christchurch last week were reportedly tourists from Hong Kong.

Emergency services responded to the crash, on State Highway 1 near Rakaia, about 1.10pm on Friday.

Police said that despite the efforts of emergency services, two people died at the scene.

Three others sustained injuries ranging from moderate to critical.

The South China Morning Post has since reported that two Hong Kong tourists were the victims.

It said the Chinese consulate general in Christchurch had “expressed deep sorrow over the deaths” and would provide assistance to the injured and their families.

The crash caused significant traffic delays while the road was closed, and a detour via the Rakaia Gorge involving an extra 100km of travel was in place for several hours.

 - Allied Media