Six people suffered moderate to serious injuries, believed to include broken bones, in a head-on collision between two cars on West Coast Rd, Waipapakauri.
Several of the occupants had to be cut free from the wreckage by Kaitaia Fire Brigade crews, just before noon yesterday.
All were treated at the scene by St John medics before a Northland rescue helicopter arrived to take some to Whangarei Hospital.
The driver of the Nissan Murano was heading towards Waipapakauri where he lives. He had his wife and an adult passenger in the vehicle.
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He said the other car was driven by an Asian tourist and had two adult passengers. The point of impact was off the road on the Nissan's left, completely clear of the westbound lane.
Two of the occupants of the Mitsubishi were freed by firefighters, while the Nissan driver's wife, who was in the back seat, was the last to be extricated. She did not appear to be trapped but was unable to move.
She was finally removed from the vehicle at 12.40pm, just before the rescue helicopter, with two firefighters from Whangarei aboard, landed in the Snapper Bonanza weigh-in parking area across the road.
Two small dogs in the Nissan, one of which the driver suspected had "broken something", were examined by a Kaitaia veterinarian at the scene.
The police investigation into the crash is continuing.