22 May: Van driver dies in hospital after crash with ute on State Highway 1 near Lower Wairua Road, Blenheim.

22 May crash near Blenheim: Driver of van involved in crash with a ute on State Highway 1 near Lower Wairua Road dies in hospital two days after incident. Emergency services were called to the scene at 1pm, the van driver was critically injured and airlifted to Wellington Hospital. Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.