​​​​​​​Police are now able to release the name of the woman who died after a crash on State Highway 5 near Rotorua on Christmas Eve.

She was 23-year-old ​​​​​​​Jie Hu, from Rotorua.

Jie was the driver of one of three cars involved in the crash, which claimed her life and left passengers of the other vehicles with serious injuries.

Police are offering their deepest sympathies to Jie's family.