Canterbury’s most senior police officer says the crash at Rakaia on Sunday morning could be been much worse.

A 13-year-old girl is fighting for her life and a 14-year-old-boy is in a critical condition in Christchurch hospital after the stolen car they were in crashed.

Police tried to pull over the car at 4.22am in Rolleston.

The vehicle failed to stop and officers pursued it for a short time before abandoning due to the nature of the driving. 

The car was later found by police on Bridge St at 4:40am. It had crashed into a fence.

Canterbury Police District Commander Superintendent John Price says “this is a real tragedy and could have been even worse.”

He says “all we ask is that when police ask you to stop then stop, so there is no harm to those in the vehicle and others lawfully on our roads.”

A family friend of the 13 year old girl in hospital said her mother is at her bedside “hoping she survives the crash.”

She says she snuck out in the middle of the night.

The last time her mother saw her daughter (safe) was when she went to bed on Saturday night.

A Canterbury District Health Board spokesman says one patient has been discharged and one is in a stable condition.

The other six have requested privacy.