10 Sep 2019

Arrangements underway to repatriate Rotorua bus crash victims

11:26 am on 10 September 2019

Police have notified the next of kin and arrangements are under way to repatriate the Chinese tourists who died in a bus crash in Rotorua last week.

Emergency services at the scene of the bus crash near Rotorua.

The scene of the crash last week. Photo: Bishal Jung Basnet / Supplied

Five tourists were killed in the crash last Wednesday on State Highway 5 near Mamaku, northwest of Rotorua at around 11am.

A number of injured tourists are still being treated in Rotorua and Waikato Hospitals in stable conditions.

Police also asked three potential witnesses to help investigate the incident.

One is the driver of a white car described as being close to the scene as the crash occurred.

The second is a truck driver wearing a hi-vis jacket who radioed his base for assistance and directed traffic prior to police arriving at the scene.

The third is the driver of another car that was directly behind the first car on the crash scene.

A Chinese translation of the press statement is available here.

Get the RNZ app

for ad-free news and current affairs