Tributes have been paid to three generations of a "vibrant family" including a baby who were tragically killed in a horrific head-on smash.
Seven people travelling in a van died when their vehicle collided with a refrigerated truck.
Two passengers survived the impact and are being treated in hospital. One was said to be in serious condition and another in a serious but stable condition.
A police chief told media: “It's absolutely tragic how in a blink of an eye, seven lives are gone.”
The van was destroyed and almost entirely crumpled in the smash.
The victims, from Auckland in New Zealand included members of the Filipino community.
They had spent the night with a friend and were on their way home when the accident happened just south of Picton, on New Zealand 's South Island.
The friend, called Bill, told NewstalkZB : "They spent some of their last hours on earth with me on Saturday night, Sunday morning.
"This was a vibrant family - my friend was a high school teacher ... his wife started an online business and he was really proud of her."
He said the family had four children and one of the sons had married a Taiwanese woman, who died along with the couple's baby.
"I was really taken with this young woman, she was so nice and it really hits home at my heart that she's gone and the baby's gone.
"Her husband survived … he's going to wake up and find that he's now alone."
Inspector Simon Feltham, Marlborough police area commander, said an investigation into the collision had been launched.
He added: "Police can confirm that one of the deceased was the driver of the van at the time of the crash.
"As such, the matter will be referred to the Coroner in due course.
"Police's focus remains on gathering information to assist the Coroner, and on supporting the victims in this crash and our first responders."
Aukland Filipino community leader, Romy Adanga, said he was devastated to learn that the people killed were members of his community, the New Zealand Herald reports.
“This is really a terrible and shocking news for the community, and all our thoughts are with the families and those affected,” Mr Udanga said.
Matilde Figuracion, a Filipino who lives in Wellington, was supposed to have taken the same ferry as those involved in the crash and was just minutes behind them.
She said she was in shock when she heard the news.
Emilie Shi, a former consul general of the Philippines, has confirmed the bodies of the deceased have been transferred to Christchurch, and the consul general in the town is assisting with the matter.
