An Air Force helicopter will be used this morning to try to retrieve a car that crashed into the Mohaka River near Wairoa on Saturday afternoon.
A crane was brought onto the scene near the Mohaka Viaduct yesterday, but it was unable to reach the car. Police say the Air Force helicopter should have better manouvreability and may be better able to reach the white Honda that remains submerged in the river.
SH2 around Mohaka will be closed from 10am-noon. Diversions will be in place.
Police are continuing to investigate how the car carrying four Mongrel Mob members ran off the road and plunged down a bank into the river. Appeals are being made for sightings of a blue car with a dent in its bonnet that may have been involved in the crash.
Detective Senior Sergeant Brent Greville said police could not confirm who had been driving the car or who it belonged to.
"We have found evidence at the scene that suggests a blue car may have been involved, but at this stage we have no more information about it. We'd like to hear from anyone who may have seen a car fitting that description travelling on the highway on Saturday afternoon," Mr Greville said.
Police are liaising with family of the three men killed in the crash, while a fourth man was released from Wairoa Hospital on Saturday night after being treated for minor injuries. The names of the dead men have not been released at this stage. They are all from Wairoa.
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