Driver dead after bus and car crash near Cardrona

Author: Jazlyn Whales,
Publish Date: Wed, 15 Jul 2026, 3:31pm

One person has died after a bus and car collided in the Otago region this morning, amid warnings of black ice and flooding in the region.

Emergency services responded to the crash south of Cardrona, about 10.15am.

The sole occupant of the car died at the scene.

No injuries were reported among occupants on the bus.

Hato Hone St John responded with an ambulance and a helicopter.

Police said earlier motorists should expect delays while emergency services work at the scene.

The Serious Crash Unit has since carried out a scene examination and the cause of the crash remains under investigation.

Police said they were providing support to those involved.

It comes after road users in Queenstown were warned to take extra care this morning as black ice and surface flooding create hazards across the region.

Queenstown Lakes District Council said that although there were warmer temperatures yesterday, snowmelt had created a fresh set of risks for road users today.

“You can put the raincoats away for now, but snowmelt from yesterday’s warmer weather is causing surface flooding across parts of the SH85 and black ice remains a hazard across several parts of the region.”

It said the surface flooding on SH85 was centred around Hills Creek, Naseby Bypass Rd and towards Kyeburn.

There is also black ice around Arrowtown, Arthurs Point and along Malaghans Rd, Arrowtown-Lake Hayes Rd, Dalefield Rd, Littles Rd, Domain Rd and Hunter Rd.

Black ice had also been reported in parts of Shotover Country and Lake Hayes Estate, with the council noting there was possible black ice between Cardrona and the Crown Range Summit.

Icy conditions were also possible between Wānaka and Cardrona.

“With warmer temperatures expected today, further snowmelt is likely, so there could be more surface flooding,” thr council said.

“A reminder: if a patch of road looks wet and shiny, treat it as black ice.

“Slow down, avoid sudden braking and, as always, drive to the conditions.”

Flights delayed, cancelled after fog blankets Auckland

At the opposite end of the country, thick fog descended on Auckland this morning, delaying and cancelling regional flights and blanketing motorways.

Around 6.50am, Auckland Airport said about 12 domestic regional flights had been delayed and seven had been cancelled due to the fog.

International flights and those to Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Queenstown were not affected, the airport said.

As of 8am, Air New Zealand’s website showed early flights to and from Whangārei, Kerikeri, Tauranga, Napier, Palmerston North, Gisborne, Nelson, New Plymouth and Blenheim had been delayed, some by as much as three hours.

Cancellations were also affecting some Tauranga, Rotorua, Palmerston North, New Plymouth and Napier/Hastings and Blenheim flights.

Travellers are advised to check with their airline and the airport’s website for the latest flight updates.

At 6.30am, visibility at the airport was around 400m, MetService meteorologist John Law said.

The fog wasn’t restricted to Auckland – many parts of the North Island were also having a “misty, murky start” to the day, with moist air, cold temperatures and only light winds creating the perfect conditions for a foggy start, Law said.

“As we head through the daytime, the temperatures will rise, the winds will pick up, and it will start to mix, and we’ll start to see that fog lift up into low cloud.”

The latest forecast showed the fog beginning to break up and clear from 8am to 9am, he said.