There has been a collision between a camper van and a car on the Haast Highway and one person has died.
Police said the head on collision happened between Lake Paringa and Lake Moeraki about 4pm on Wednesday.
Initially police said two people had died, but later said a New Zealand man had died and an international tourist was in a critical condition.
They said both were believed to have been passengers in the vehicles.
Emergency services were at the scene at 7pm and the road was closed.
The death is likely to bring the road toll to nine less than half-way through the holiday period.
The official holiday period began at 4pm on 23 December and ends at 6am on 4 January. Last year, there were 12 fatalities during that period.
