Indian man dies six months after arriving in New Zealand, fundraiser launched

New Zealand 2 min read

Sandesh Singh arrived from the northern Indian city of Jammu. (Supplied photo)

Emergency services were called to the crash at Kawarau Falls on Sunday.

Awaaz October 6, 2026

A fundraiser has been launched to help return the body of an Indian man to his family after he was killed in a crash near Queenstown, just six months after arriving in New Zealand.

Sandesh Singh, from Jammu in India, died in a single-vehicle crash at Kawarau Falls early on Sunday. He had arrived in New Zealand about six months ago on a work visa and was living in Queenstown.

His close friend Surinder Singh has now launched a Givealittle appeal to bring Sandesh’s body home to Jammu for his final rites.

“Sandesh was my close friend, and we studied together in India. I have known him for around 10 years,” Surinder said on the fundraising page.

“We both were in Queenstown, New Zealand, and remained close friends.”

Emergency services were called to the crash at Kawarau Falls at about 3.54am on Sunday. Four people were in the vehicle. Sandesh died at the scene, while the other three occupants were injured, including one critically. Police are investigating the circumstances of the crash.

The fundraiser says donations will be used to cover the cost of repatriating Sandesh’s body to Jammu, documentation, funeral arrangements and related expenses.

Any money left after those costs will be given to his mother to support her. The appeal is now trying to ensure Sandesh can make one final journey home to the family he left behind in India.

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