Saturday, 04 July, 2009

Date: July 14, 2007
Place, Wellington, New Zealand

A husband and wife died when their car collided with a train at a level crossing in the Rangitikei region, but a five-year-old child in the back seat escaped with minor injuries.

The collision happened at about 7.45am on the Ohingaiti rail crossing on State Highway 1, 34km southwest of Taihape, Sergeant Peter Wood of Marton police said.

A northbound car collided with a goods train that was travelling south.

A man, aged 39, and his 35-year-old wife died at the scene. They were in the front seats of the car. The third occupant, a five-year-old child, was taken to Wanganui Hospital with minor injuries.

Police were investigating the cause of the accident.

The crossing has lights and bells but no barrier arms.

Mr Wood said preliminary inquiries indicated all crossing warning devices were activated at the time of the collision and that "sun strike" may have been a contributing factor.