��һ�ǿ�����

�ճ����families of the young Korean ski champs killed��in a crash near Geraldine have launched their own investigation into what happened - including the possibility that 400kg of luggage packed into the back of the van contributed to��the tragedy.��

Junwoo Park, 24, Sangseo Kim, 16 and coach Bum-Hee Cho, 23, died in the��head-on crash��on August 14.��

They and other athletes and coaches were travelling in convoy after a day of training when the crash happened.��

Three people died in a two-vehicle crash on State Highway 79 near Geraldine which involved a Korean ski team. Photo / George Heard��

Police are still investigating the cause of the crash - between a 4WD and the team’s van people-mover - on State Highway 79 at about 3.15pm on August 14.��

Another team member and the driver of the 4WD were seriously injured.��

Park’s parents reached out to the��Herald��this week seeking information about the fatal incident.��

“We are collecting various data from Korea to accurately investigate the cause of my child’s death,” said Jin Hyun Park.��

“Our families are conducting their own investigation and are considering the possibility that our children died as a result of the luggage loaded in the vehicle.��

“It seems that the secondary impact was caused by the luggage during the accident.”��

Police could not comment further while their investigation continued.��

Three people have died in a two-vehicle crash on State Highway 79 near Geraldine. Photo / George Heard��

Park also wondered if first responders were delayed in getting to the victims because of the amount of luggage.��

There was about 400kg of gear in the van and Park provided a list that included skis, boots, a 10kg snow drill, training gates and poles.��

Park said Kim remained in hospital with a “severe collapse of the occipital region of his brain”.��

“This means that the luggage loaded in the back strongly hit [his] occipital region,” he told the��Herald.��

Following the crash, a source told the��Herald��that the incident was witnessed by a number of other team members, including a recent Olympic competitor.��

She said the group was in New Zealand to compete at the Winter Games in Queenstown at Cardrona, Coronet Peak and The Remarkables.��

A plaque bearing the names of the victims was placed at the scene earlier this month��

Anna Leask is a Christchurch-based reporter who covers national crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2008 and has worked as a journalist for 18 years with a particular focus on family violence, child abuse, sexual violence, homicides, mental health and youth crime. She writes, hosts and produces the award-winning podcast A Moment In Crime, released monthly on��nzherald.co.nz��