Tourists’ bus terror
FLAX SAFE FOR BABIES 15 overseas visitors injured, 4 seriously, in alpine crash OPERA GOES TO CHURCH TV PREVIEWS
A runaway bus careered across a state highway and crashed into a stream yesterday, injuring 15 people.
Four of those on the bus were seriously hurt, and a partially submerged woman had to be cut free, but a firefighter at the scene said it could have been much worse.
The dramatic crash happened on State Highway 47, the road between National Park and Turangi, at its intersection with State Highway 48 which runs up toward Mt Ruapehu in the Tongariro National Park.
A major rescue operation involving dozens of ambulance, fire, police, rescue helicopter and air ambulance staff was launched after the bus carrying 15 British and American tourists crashed down 10m bank and into a stream just after 8am.
St John Ambulance confirmed four seriously injured people — including the woman who had been trapped and partially submerged in water — were flown to Waikato and Palmerston North hospitals.
Eleven others with a range of minor to moderate injuries were taken by ambulance or bus to Whanganui, Taupo and Rotorua hospitals.
National Park volunteer fire brigade chief fire officer Neil Ranford was among more than two dozen firefighters sent to help.
The bus was travelling west along SH48 — the access road to Whakapapa and Mt Ruapehu — when it appeared to have crossed the T junction with SH47 and plummeted down the bank, Mr Ranford said. Fortunately, no vehicles were travelling through the intersection at the time.
“They were very lucky ... there’s been a couple of fatalities on that corner,” he said.
The bus ended up on its side in the stream, but the water level was less than 30cm, he said.
Cutting equipment was used to free the partially submerged woman, who was conscious during the ordeal. She, along with ot her passengers, was
stretchered up the waiting ambulances.
A rope line was set up to help other passengers, all believed to be aged in their 60s, climb up the bank.
“They were all knocked around a bit from going down that bank ... they were all looking a bit shocked,” Mr Ranford said.
Weather conditions were very misty, but it was not too cold, he said.
St John district operations manager Steve Yanko said five ambulances and a operations manager were sent, and three rescue helicopters flew to a nearby staging post.
Rain and low cloud prevented bank to helicopters landing at the site.
Chateau Tongariro general manager Kathy Guy said those involved in the crash were guests at the hotel.
The name MoaTrek — an Auckland-based company offering small group tours — was written on the side of the bus.
Whakapapa Holiday Park staff member Jonathan Steven said yesterday that his father, who operates a shuttle bus and is a volunteer firefighter, had been asked to pick up passengers from the wrecked bus.
“His role is to get the passengers on to his bus . . . at the moment there’s a lot of rain and the winds are strong. It’s nasty weather this morning.”
Tour operators cancelled their operations on the Tonga- riro Alpine Crossing yesterday because of 90km/h winds and 40mm of rain.
The serious crash unit is investigating the cause of the crash.