13 May 2016

One dead as school bus, car and ute crash

2:36 pm on 13 May 2016

One person is dead and another is in a serious condition in Northland after a car, ute and a school bus crashed.

Emergency services were called to State Highway 12 at Mamaranui north of Dargaville just before 8am.

Police said early indications were that one of the vehicles swerved to avoid the school bus, then collided with another vehicle.

No-one on the school bus has been hurt.

Richies Bus company said its bus had pulled over and was stationary on the roadside at the time of the accident.

The St John ambulance service said one person had died but a spokesperson could not say at this stage which vehicle the person was in.

The Ministry of Education said although no students were injured, it was offering support to Dargaville schools.

The Transport Agency said State Highway 12 is now open.