Tourist killed in road crash is named

A woman who died in a road crash on Pukearuhe Road, Urenui on Tuesday (10 March) has been named as Joelle Marguerite Janine Gaiffe.

Mrs Gaiffe was 57 years old and from Papeete the capital of the French Polynesian Island of Tahiti. She was on holiday in New Zealand with her husband Francis Louis Georges Gaiffe (43) who suffered serious leg and facial injuries in the crash. He remains in hospital in a stable condition.

Mrs Gaiffe is the mother of three daughters from a previous relationship.

The couple were in a Honda rental car which collided head-on with a Nissan Pathfinder around 4pm on Tuesday.

The female driver of the four wheel drive, a 20-year-old woman from Stratford, and her front seat passenger, a 24-year-old man from Canada, were also taken to New Plymouth with moderate injuries.

An investigation into the cause of the crash is underway by the Serious Crash Investigation Unit.

Media enquiries should be referred to Communications Manager Kim Perks on 06 351 2546 or 027 234 8256.