An Otago grandmother was meant to pick up a relative from Queenstown Airport but never arrived, alarming her overseas-based family. Police have found the crash site.

Colleen Reid, known as Rhonda, left her home in Allanton near Dunedin on Monday at 9am to drive the 260km journey to pick up her grandson – who is understood to have arrived on a Jetstar flight from the Gold Coast at 12.30pm.

But Reid and her maroon Toyota Blade, registration HTP389, did not make it to the airport, sparking a search by police in Central Otago.

‘’The woman reported missing yesterday after she set out from Dunedin to Queenstown has been located safe,’’ Police said in a Facebook post.

‘’Police would like to thank members of the public who provided information to assist in locating her.’’

Police later added details of the crash scene, which was located on the Gibbston Highway, Queenstown- Lakes District around 11:30am.

She was due to be transported to hospital via helicopter.

The Serious Crash Unit has been advised.

The road was blocked and diversions were in place, with motorists advised to take an alternate route.

Earlier Senior Sergeant Glenn Wilkinson, of Queenstown, said the last confirmed sighting of the 74-year-old was in Cromwell, about 60km from Queenstown, at 12.40pm, on Monday.

Police were conducting several enquiries, including checking cell phone data, looking at CCTV footage to see if she arrived in Queenstown and checking the road.

She may have had a medical event, he said.

The road between Cromwell and Queenstown includes the Kawarau Gorge with steep banks above the Kawarau River.

“We’ll check all the car parks and barriers to see if there’s any impact and see if she’s come to any harm in the gorge,” he said.

“At this stage we haven’t been able to confirm she’s arrived in Queenstown.”

If anyone remembered seeing Reid or her car in the area he asked them to contact Queenstown police,