This morning, two bodies were discovered inside a car that had overturned in a stream in rural Wellington.
Emergency services, including police, fire crews, and Wellington Free Ambulance, responded to the incident in Mākara shortly after 8am.
According to Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) shift manager Alex Norris, the crews arrived to find the vehicle partially submerged in the stream along Mākara Beach Road, a narrow and winding route connecting Karori and Mākara Beach.
The authorities found the bodies upon reaching the scene.
The road was closed for several hours following the incident but has now been reopened.
A nearby resident, who wished to remain anonymous, mentioned they had a view of the crash site from their home.
The resident observed at least four police vehicles, two ambulances, and a fire appliance at the location, along with a white blanket on the ground.
“Typically, you hear noises at night, but we didn’t notice anything unusual. My neighbor mentioned that this spot is a common location for vehicles to veer off the road due to a two- to three-metre drop from the road down to the stream,” the resident explained.
“I’ve seen cars collide head-on in this area before, as well as numerous near-misses. I haven’t had much time to process it. I’ve spoken with some locals this morning, and they’re quite shocked,” he added.
The road runs alongside a small stream, with wire fencing down the bank from Mākara Road.
Cody Stephens, the owner of Mākara Village cattery, reported seeing police cars and a fire engine pass by his property, heading toward the beach earlier today.
