Four people have died on New Zealand's road so far this weekend.
A 12-year-old boy was killed when the van he was travelling in crashed off Somme Parade in Wanganui and went into the Whanganui River about 9.45pm last night.
A woman and a 14-year-old escaped before the van was fully submerged, but the boy remained trapped.
His body was recovered about midnight, police said.
Two people were killed in a two-car crash at Okere Falls, near Rotorua, last night.
The driver of a Mitsubishi Colt lost control on a corner on State Highway 33, heading toward Rotorua, and crossed the centre line, colliding with a Mazda Proceed 4x4 towing a boat about 5.10pm, police said.
The Mitsubishi driver and a passenger died at the scene, while the two adults and two children in the Mazda suffered moderate injuries and were taken to hospital by ambulance.
The crash occurred at the junction of SH33 and Okere Falls Rd, 20km northeast of Rotorua.
One person was killed in a crash in Canterbury early this morning.
Police arrived at the crash scene where the car had rolled at Courtenay Road in Kirwee, 37km west of Christchurch, shortly after 4am.
The car was ablaze when emergency services arrived.
