Bus in skifield crash regularly failed COF inspections

OHAKUNE: The bus that crashed returning from Turoa skifield on Saturday, killing a young girl, previously failed its certificate of fitness nine times.

The Ruapehu Alpine Lifts (RAL) bus rolled and crashed on Ohakune Mountain Rd just five minutes into the 17km journey. It was carrying 31 passengers. Three people were seriously injured — a man and two women. They were airlifted from the site and remain in a stable condition at Waikato Hospital.

The young girl who died from injuries was a beautiful, muchloved daughter, her parents say.

Mother Michelle Bruton and father Matt Francis said their family is trying to come to terms with the devastating loss of ‘‘our beautiful daughter Hannah’’.

‘‘She was the light of our lives and will be missed by all who knew her,’’ her mother said in a statement.

The Mitsubishi Fuso bus was imported from Japan in 2004 and failed its certificate of fitness nine times over the 14 years.

Different from a warrant of fitness, the certificate is a regular check for certain vehicles, including all passenger vehicles, to ensure they meet required safety standards.

The inspection covers many aspects, including brake con dition and operation.

The 24yearold bus passed its most recent inspection at the end of May.

RAL Lifts chief executive Ross Copland said in a statement: ‘‘Our thoughts are with the passengers and families involved in the crash, as well as our driver.

‘‘The crash is under investigation by the police and we will not be making any further comment at this stage.’’ — RNZ