Attributable to Detective Senior Sergeant Tim Leitch:

Police investigating serious assaults in Churton Park can confirm a further two offenders have been taken into custody.

A 21-year-old man will appear in the Wellington District Court on 22 January and a 17-year-old man will appear in the Wellington Youth Court on 27 January. They jointly face wounding, assault to injure and common assault charges.

A man has died after a water-related incident in Rotorua late last night.

Emergency services were called to a geothermal area on Tukiterangi Street, Whakarewarewa, about 9.40pm, where a man had been pulled from the water unconscious.

Sadly he was unable to be revived.

His death will be referred to the Coroner.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Please attribute to Sergeant Jonny Evans, Police Search and Rescue.

Graham Garnett, 66, has been found sheltering in a hut in Kahurangi National Park, alive.

Graham went tramping in the Baton/Ellis River area and did not return as expected on 30 December.

An operation got underway involving Land Search and Rescue New Zealand (LandSAR) groups and specialist teams, New Zealand Defence Force, Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand and many volunteers and supporters.

One person has died following a serious crash in Tahuna Road, Whakatāne yesterday afternoon.

Emergency services were called to the single vehicle crash around 3.40pm.

Sadly, one person has died.

Another person remains in a serious condition in hospital.

The road was closed while the Serious Crash Unit conducted a scene examination and it has now been reopened.

Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

One person has sadly died following a serious crash in Haruru early this morning.

Around 12.10am today, a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle on Puketona Road, near the Garden Court intersection.

Sadly, despite emergency services best efforts, the pedestrian died at the scene.

Puketona Road was closed between Haruru Falls Road and Te Karuwha Parade while the Serious Crash Unit conducted a scene examination, and has since re-opened.

Enquiries into the circumstances of the death are ongoing.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

Attributable to Senior Sergeant Bill Fisher, Bay of Plenty District Deployment Coordinator:

Police conducting a rescue operation of all those stranded in slip-struck Waioeka Gorge on State Highway 2 can confirm the people have been airlifted out of the gorge.

The rescue operation commenced last night, following Police being alerted to slips along the gorge road trapping people from travelling either way.

A man remains in a critical condition in hospital following a firearms incident in Onehunga yesterday.

Police located the victim at an Arthur Street property shortly after 11am, following reports a person had been shot.

Detective Senior Sergeant Matt Bunce says a scene examination is ongoing at the residential address.

“Several people arrived at a residential address and discharged firearms at the front of the house, and the victim has been struck as a result of this. Investigators are making a number of enquiries to locate the people involved.

Police investigating the circumstances of the fatal crash in Tikitere last week are appealing to the public for information.

Emergency services were called to the two-vehicle crash around 4.20am, Thursday 15 January, on State Highway 30. Two people were sadly found deceased at the scene and another with moderate injuries.

Police would like to hear from anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage between the areas of Fenton Street, Rotorua and Curtis Road/SH30, Tikitere, between 2am and 4.20am on Thursday 15 January.