Horror crash: Givealittle pages raise more than $60,000 for family members of those killed in Marlborough collision

More than $60,000 has been raised through two online fundraising pages to support the family members of those killed in a crash south of Picton on Sunday.

Seven people died and three were injured after a van and truck collided on State Highway 1.

One of the victims along with her children moved to New Zealand from the Philippines several years ago, the NZ Herald reported. 

A Givealittle page has been created by Filipino community leader Lani Larsen. The page said funds raised would go towards funeral expenses and ongoing medical needs. 

"We are asking for your compassion and [to] help the families in this very challenging situation," Larsen wrote on the Givealittle page, which had raised more than $58,000 as of Wednesday afternoon. 

A second page, which had raised nearly $6000, was created by an employer of two family members. It said unexpected costs had arisen, which would be difficult for the family to cope with. 

"The whole healthcare team is struggling to come to terms with what happened and know the rest of New Zealand is feeling the same.

"All we ask is to donate some money to the surviving members and give them support to navigate life comfortably as possible in these trying times. These young adults will struggle to get back on their feet and live a normal life."

Marlborough District Mayor John Leggett said the crash was an "absolute tragedy".

Leggett.
Leggett. Photo credit: Newshub.

"When you get that degree of loss of life in a tragic accident… in the blink of an eye and there were seven lives lost, [it's] absolutely tragic," he told RNZ's Morning Report earlier this week. 

An investigation into the collision was ongoing, police said.