No criminal charges over Mt Ruapehu bus crash that killed girl

AUCKLAND: No criminal charges will be laid in relation to a Mt Ruapehu bus crash that killed a West Auckland schoolgirl.

A police investigation into the crash as the bus descended Ohakune Mountain Rd on July 28 has just been completed.

The crash near the Toroa skifield killed Hannah Francis (11), from Auckland.

Eighteen other people were injured, including the driver.

Detective Inspector Ross McKay, crime manager for the central district CIB, said: ‘‘Police will continue to provide support for other agencies in their ongoing investigations.’’

He said the matter was being prepared for a coroner’s hearing.

Hannah had been on a skiing trip with her father, Matthew Francis, and stepbrother Joshua.

Matthew broke his scapula and multiple ribs; Joshua broke his clavicle and had spinal fractures and concussion.

Ruapehu Alpine Lifts had been operating the bus that crashed and chief executive Ross Copeland said while no charges had been laid against his company, it had spent more than $4 million buying six new fourwheeldrive buses and other ‘‘purposebuilt’’ vehicles.

The company had disposed of its old fleet of buses and was finalising a fiveyear contract to outsource the management of ‘‘all passenger transport services’’ at Mt Ruapehu to private companies.

The 1994 Mitsubishi Fuso bus involved in the accident had failed nine inspections between 2005 and 2016, and at the end of May this year had recorded 277,885km.

The bus failed COFs on July 29, 2004; November 23, 2005; December 21, 2005; May 8, 2008; May 14, 2009; June 17, 2010; May 3, 2011; June 14, 2012; June 6, 2014; May 13, 2015; and on December 8, 2016.

An Automobile Association (AA) vehicle history report obtained by NZME had shown the bus had recorded ‘‘inconsistent’’ odometer readings.

In July 2010 the odometer reading showed the bus had travelled 199,639km, but declined to 118,044km by May 2011. The AA report says the odometer may have been tampered with. — NZME