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ISSUE
Friday, April 24, 2026
Volume 17 . Issue 16
Three Punjabi men have died in a serious crash involving a car and a tanker truck on State Highway 1 near Waiouru.
The crash happened late on Monday night as the men were travelling from Wellington towards Tauranga. Police were alerted to the incident at about 11.50pm.
"Three people have died following a crash involving a car and a tanker truck on State Highway 1, about 5km north of Waiouru,” police said in a statement.
Manjinder Singh, Sandeep Singh, Varinderpal Singh were named as the three who were killed in the accident, according Manjinder's first cousin, who confirmed the names to The Indian Weekender.
Manjinder Singh hailed from SBS Nagar, Nawanshahr, and Sandeep Singh, Varinderpal Singh were from Uttarakhand.
“The three were friends and were on work permits in New Zealand. They used to work together,” Kamaljit Singh, first cousin of Manjinder, told The Indian Weekender.
"They were on their way back from Wellington to Tauranga," Kamaljit told The Indian Weekender.
Manjinder Singh is survived by his wife and two young daughters, aged 3 and 7. Sandeep Singh leaves behind his wife and child in India, while Varinderpal Singh was unmarried, according to Kamaljit.
Kamaljit said Manjinder Singh’s final rites will be held in Tauranga, while the last rites of the other two deceased will take will be decided by their respective families.
All three occupants of the car died at the scene. The driver of the tanker truck, with which the car is said to have collided, was treated for moderate injuries.
The collision impact was severe, with the car ending up underneath the heavy vehicle, according to some news accounts in the Punjabi media.
Emergency services responded quickly, and a helicopter was deployed to help search the surrounding area amid initial concerns that another person may have been involved.
Police later confirmed there were only three people in the car.
Whanganui Area Commander Inspector Neil Forlong described the loss of life as heartbreaking.
“Our initial enquiries show the car has likely crossed the centre line just before the crash, but why that occurred is a focus of our investigation.
“There were initial fears a fourth person may have been travelling in the vehicle, but we have thankfully been able to rule that out.
“I want to acknowledge the fast response of emergency crews, who were faced with a tough scene.
“Crashes like this are devastating for the families involved and the community, and Police will continue to support those affected by this tragedy.”
Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.
More details are expected
Three Punjabi men have died in a serious crash involving a car and a tanker truck on State Highway 1 near Waiouru.
The crash happened late on Monday night as the men were travelling from Wellington towards Tauranga. Police were alerted to the incident at about 11.50pm.
"Three people have died...
Three Punjabi men have died in a serious crash involving a car and a tanker truck on State Highway 1 near Waiouru.
The crash happened late on Monday night as the men were travelling from Wellington towards Tauranga. Police were alerted to the incident at about 11.50pm.
"Three people have died following a crash involving a car and a tanker truck on State Highway 1, about 5km north of Waiouru,” police said in a statement.
Manjinder Singh, Sandeep Singh, Varinderpal Singh were named as the three who were killed in the accident, according Manjinder's first cousin, who confirmed the names to The Indian Weekender.
Manjinder Singh hailed from SBS Nagar, Nawanshahr, and Sandeep Singh, Varinderpal Singh were from Uttarakhand.
“The three were friends and were on work permits in New Zealand. They used to work together,” Kamaljit Singh, first cousin of Manjinder, told The Indian Weekender.
"They were on their way back from Wellington to Tauranga," Kamaljit told The Indian Weekender.
Manjinder Singh is survived by his wife and two young daughters, aged 3 and 7. Sandeep Singh leaves behind his wife and child in India, while Varinderpal Singh was unmarried, according to Kamaljit.
Kamaljit said Manjinder Singh’s final rites will be held in Tauranga, while the last rites of the other two deceased will take will be decided by their respective families.
All three occupants of the car died at the scene. The driver of the tanker truck, with which the car is said to have collided, was treated for moderate injuries.
The collision impact was severe, with the car ending up underneath the heavy vehicle, according to some news accounts in the Punjabi media.
Emergency services responded quickly, and a helicopter was deployed to help search the surrounding area amid initial concerns that another person may have been involved.
Police later confirmed there were only three people in the car.
Whanganui Area Commander Inspector Neil Forlong described the loss of life as heartbreaking.
“Our initial enquiries show the car has likely crossed the centre line just before the crash, but why that occurred is a focus of our investigation.
“There were initial fears a fourth person may have been travelling in the vehicle, but we have thankfully been able to rule that out.
“I want to acknowledge the fast response of emergency crews, who were faced with a tough scene.
“Crashes like this are devastating for the families involved and the community, and Police will continue to support those affected by this tragedy.”
Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.
More details are expected
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