Two buses carrying Chinese tourists went off the road on New Zealand’s South Island during hazardous weather conditions, resulting in 15 passengers being sent to the hospital, two of whom sustained serious injuries. The buses were both traveling in the same direction on a popular tourist highway when they slid off the road and overturned within 100 meters of each other. The cause of the accidents, which occurred under freezing temperatures with heavy fog and black ice reported on the road, remains unknown.
Though New Zealand officials did not confirm the nationality of the passengers, the Chinese consulate in Christchurch stated on WeChat that Chinese tourists were on board the buses. Of the 15 individuals taken to the hospital, two were airlifted in serious condition, eight suffered moderate injuries, and five had minor injuries. The total number of passengers on the buses and those treated at the scene were unspecified.
A witness traveling behind one of the buses described seeing it roll multiple times off the road due to slippery black ice. The witness observed passengers with severe head lacerations being assisted out of the bus through a roof hatch. Another bus veered off the road shortly after the first, but there was no indication of a connection between the two incidents.
The stretch of road where the accidents occurred, between Lake Tekapo and Twizel, had been closed earlier in the week due to a previous crash in snowy, icy conditions. The area is known for its scenic views but can be perilous for drivers, especially during the winter months. Previous fatal accidents have occurred on the same highway, reminding travelers of the risks associated with navigating the region’s winding and slippery roads.
Tourist buses have been involved in deadly crashes on New Zealand’s roads before, with incidents including a bus flipping near Rotorua in 2019, resulting in the deaths of five Chinese tourists. In 2008, a bus collision with a logging truck claimed the lives of eight tourists and their driver. The country’s transport agency had issued warnings about the wintry conditions on State Highway 8, where the recent accidents took place, emphasizing the need for caution on the challenging terrain.
