A joint ceremony will be held on Thursday to farewell three Auckland high school friends killed in a car crash near Hamilton.
Liam Jackson, 18, Alan Jones (known as Sod), 18, and Ashley Foley, 19, were killed when the car they were in smashed into a tree on Gordonton Road, a rural area 7km northwest of Hamilton central, about 5am on Friday.
Jaryd Doughty, 19, was critically injured in the crash and remains in Waikato Hospital's intensive care unit, a statement from the hospital said this afternoon.
All four attended Rosehill College in the Auckland suburb of Papakura.
The trio will be farewelled at the college at 11am on Thursday.
Friends and family of Mr Jackson, Mr Jones and Mr Foley expressed their sadness in death notices published in the New Zealand Herald.
"Ash, you have touched our hearts in so many ways... God bless," said one.
"Rest well Ash. You have made us proud - memories forever," said another.
A message for Liam read: "Our beautiful boy, so loved, so missed. Your journey was too short but you left your footprints on our hearts forever."
Jaryd's parents, who have not been named, said their thoughts and prayers are with the young men's families.
Waikato road policing manager Inspector Leo Tooman, who described the crash as "horrific", said there was a strong smell of alcohol at the scene and bottles of alcohol were found in the car.
However, he said it was too early to say for sure whether alcohol was involved.
The four friends had spent Thursday night in Hamilton and were driving back to Auckland when the crash happened.
The impact of hitting the tree had caused the entire front of the car to crumple into its body.
NZN