Christchurch, New Zealand— Eleven passengers were injured when a passenger bus slid on a slick mountain pass and overturned, coming to rest against a rock face on the South Island's alpine highway.
The crash happened around 9 a.m. on Arthur's Pass. The bus was carrying 28 passengers from the West Coast to Christchurch. Light snow and rain had made the road greasy. Police said the bus lost traction on a downhill left-hander, hit a barrier, then tipped onto its side.
St John Ambulance triaged patients on the roadside. Eleven were taken to hospitals in Greymouth and Christchurch. Three had serious fractures. Eight had moderate injuries including cuts and concussion. The remaining passengers were taken to a lodge for shelter.
The road was closed for five hours. Snow plows and grit trucks cleared the pass. A heavy tow truck was needed to right the bus. Diesel had spilled across the lane and had to be contained. Temperatures at the pass were near zero.
"We were going slow, then the back went and we were sliding," a passenger from Germany said. "People screamed. Luggage fell. Then we were on our side."
The bus driver, who was not seriously hurt, told officers he had driven the route many times. He said he was in low gear and using engine braking. The vehicle was inspected last month according to company records. Those records were seized.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi had issued a snow warning for the pass overnight and advised chains. The warning was still active at the time of the crash. Road conditions were listed as caution, not closed.
The tourism company suspended services over the pass for the day. Its safety manager flew to Christchurch to meet passengers and crew.
An investigation into speed, tires, and road treatment is underway. The road reopened at 2:30 p.m. with a 30 km/h restriction.
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