St John Ambulance service said that five helicopters and five ambulances had been dispatched and patients were being transported to hospitals around the region.
Representational image (Photo: IStock)
At least five people were killed and six others injured when a tourist bus veered off a highway and flipped during bad weather in New Zealand’s North Island on Wednesday.
Police said that more than 20 people were in the vehicle when it crashed and rolled on a highway about 20 kilometres (12.5 miles) west of Rotorua — a popular tourist town known for its hot springs.
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“Police can advise there have been fatalities in the crash, however, the number cannot yet to be confirmed”, police added.
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The passengers included tourists from China and that a Mandarin translator had arrived at the crash scene to help survivors, according to reports.
St John Ambulance service said that five helicopters and five ambulances had been dispatched and patients were being transported to hospitals around the region.
Police inspector Brent Crowe said, “This is an absolute tragedy for Bay of Plenty roads, even more so because of the fact we have Chinese nationals, visitors to our country, who have been impacted”.
Crowe declined to give details of the deceased, saying authorities were still working to identify them and contact their families in China.
He said the driver was not seriously injured and an investigation into the cause of the crash was underway.
He said the accident occurred as the bus approached a bend on a winding, hilly stretch of road.
The embassy in New Zealand has launched an emergency plan and the ambassador is heading to the scene, Xinhua News agency reported.
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