15 Chinese injured in New Zealand bus crash

A tour bus carrying 30 Chinese tourists crashed on icy roads in New Zealand's Southland, on July 5, 2012, injuring 15 on board. Four of them were seriously injured. [Photo/Xinhua]

WELLINGTON - A tourist bus carrying 30 Chinese tourists crashed on icy roads in New Zealand's Southland on Thursday, injuring more than a dozen of those on board, police said.

Police said the World Away tourist bus was traveling at about 40-50 kmh behind another bus when it slid on black ice, spun and went off the road backwards, hitting a power pole.

More than a dozen of the 30 passengers - thought to be Chinese tourists - were injured when the bus rolled on an icy State Highway 94 about 4 km North of Mossburn just before 9 am on Thursday.

A 55-year-old man, a 52-year-old woman and a female of unknown age have been flown to Southland Hospital.

A 9-year-old child with abdominal injuries has been flown to Dunedin Hospital accompanied by her mother, who is uninjured.

A St. John spokeman said seven people had moderate injuries and six had minor injuries.

Remaining patients would be sent to Invercargill Hospital, while those uninjured were being transported back to Te Anau.

Nobody was thought to have been physically trapped inside the bus after it rolled, but an ambulance spokesperson said the crash brought down live power lines forcing the passengers to stay on board.

Diplomats from the Chinese consulate-general in Christchurch were on their way to the hospital.

Police said there had also been three other crashes in the Mossburn/Acton Road area about the same time as the bus crash.