Two people have been killed in a head-on crash between a car and a ute in the western Bay of Plenty this morning.
Two vehicles collided on State Highway Two at Nukuhou, inland from Whakatane and Opotiki, about 6:40am, police said.
The road was closed and diversions were in place for some time.
A man in his 30s who was driving the ute is in a serious condition in Tauranga Hospital.
NZN/3 News