Police have named the three young people killed in a horror collision between their car and a bus on Saturday.
They were Jethro Bronson Cooper, 16, of Leithfield, North Canterbury, Kodee Marie Rapana, 15, of Amberley and the driver Dean Jonathan Mcartney (crct), 21, formerly of Nelson.
The three were killed when the vehicle crossed the centre line and collided with an oncoming bus on Main North Rd at Woodend, north of Christchurch, just before midday.
Two other passengers in the car, aged 21 and 37, were airlifted to Christchurch Public Hospital with serious injuries.
No one in the bus was injured.
Canterbury road policing manager Inspector Al Stewart said there was evidence of alcohol at the scene, but police would not know if those travelling in the car had been drinking until pathology results came back.
Meanwhile, police have also named the weekend's fourth road death.
He was David Raheke, 55, of Rotorua, who was killed after apparently failing to take a bend and hitting trees near Kawerau, 58km north east of Rotorua on Saturday morning.
Mr Raheke was the sole occupant of the vehicle. Police are still investigating the cause of the crash but earlier said alcohol and not wearing a seatbelt appeared to have contributed.
