Bus driver charged as passengers lose limbs

A 32-year-old man has been charged with careless driving causing injury following a bus crash near Queenstown that left a woman and a girl in hospital when they lost limbs.

The bus, carrying a Chinese tour group, crashed on an ‘‘acute bend’’ about 1.45pm on Tuesday on Glenorchy-Queenstown Rd, south of Closeburn Rd.

Twenty-three people, including the driver, were on board. All of them were Chinese nationals. St John staff treated 20 for injuries.

Stuff understands a woman lost an arm and a girl both her hands in the crash. The woman was flown to Dunedin Hospital and the girl to Christchurch Hospital.

The bus driver is expected to appear in the Queenstown District Court on Monday.

A Southern District Health

Board (SDHB) spokeswoman said the woman remained in a stable condition yesterday. The Canterbury District Health Board could not update the condition of the injured girl.

Awing Travel NZ Ltd ran the bus that crashed, but the tour group was part of a separate travel agency’s booking.

Tour operator Bing Bai declined to comment on charges being laid against the driver, and said he could not comment further on the crash until he had spoken with police and those involved.

Alongside the seriously injured patients, three with minor injuries were taken to Lakes District Hospital.

The SDHB spokeswoman said two of the patients had been discharged, while the third was taken to Dunedin Hospital and remained in a stable condition.