A South Canterbury Road Knight was one of the men killed in a crash in Lindis Pass yesterday, which a tourist has been charged over.

Grant John Roberts, 43, of Timaru, and Dennis Michael Pederson, 54, of Tauranga, died when their motorcycles collided with a southbound Nissan vehicle on State Highway 8, near Goodger Rd, at 2.15pm.

A female pillion passenger on one of the motorcycles was flown to Dunedin Hospital in a critical condition.

Timaru police today confirmed Roberts was a Road Knight member.

The single occupant of the car, a 20-year-old Chinese tourist, was taken to hospital by ambulance. She has since been charged by police and is likely to appear in Alexandra District Court today.

The two motorcyclists were travelling as part of a group and victim support have been assisting police in dealing with them.

SH8 was closed while the injured were treated and serious crash investigators examined the scene. The road reopened about 6.45pm.

Cromwell police thanked the members of the public who stopped at the crash to help, including a group of doctors.

Police said they were particularly interested to hear from anyone who saw a dark Nissan Pulsar travelling south from Omarama towards Cromwell.

The vehicle was known to have been following a white station wagon in a line of traffic shortly before the crash and police are keen to speak to occupants of the station wagon as well.

Police are also interested in the movements of a group of about eight motorcyclists who were travelling north towards Omarama. The motorcyclists were riding large Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Cromwell police on (03) 445 1999.

- © Fairfax NZ News