Five people have been injured in a single-vehicle crash in Ruatoria early Saturday morning.
Police were alerted to the incident about 2.10am after an ambulance driving through Ruatoria stumbled on the vehicle in a ditch, according to a report by Stuff.
Four of the five people in the ute were trapped and had to be freed by emergency services.
One person with critical injuries was airlifted to Waikato Hospital and three others were airlifted to Gisborne Hospital, two in a serious condition and one with moderate injuries, according to a St John's spokesperson spoken to by Stuff.
The fifth person was taken to Gisborne Hospital by ambulance with moderate injuries.
State Highway 35 (Whareponga Road) and Waiapu Road, Ruatoria was closed due to the crash.