Seatbelts saved tour bus passengers in fatal crash near Rotorua

Thursday, 5 September 2019

Chinese Ambassador lays down flowers at the fatal bus crash which claimed five people in September, 2019 (FILE VIDEO).

Survivors of the bus crash that killed five people near Rotorua on Wednesday say they were wearing seatbelts, but are now dealing with language barriers on top of injuries and trauma while they wait for direction from police and their tour company.

One survivor, Mr Wang, escaped with abrasions across his body. In the immediate aftermath of the crash, he heard a fellow passenger on the Chinese tour crying, 'wounded and dead, tragic and tragic'.

He was able to get out of his seat, and clambered over to try to help people who were trapped, but there was little he could do without putting them in even more pain.

'Many seriously injured people were suppressed. I (tried to) pull them. The injured people shouted, 'don't pull!',' he said.

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Mr Wang, who survived the bus crash in Rotorua. His wife is still in hospital.

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Wang estimated police and ambulances arrived about 20 minutes later, and praised the paramedics at the scene, as well as the local people who drove by on the road ran down to help. Wang's wife received more serious injuries and is still in hospital in Rotorua.

Li Yang, a tourist from Sichuan province, survived the crash unhurt, but said her sister-in-law was in hospital with rib and scapula injuries.

She said she had been sitting in the fourth row of the bus when she felt it shake violently, before spinning off the road, where it rolled over. She said passengers seated in the same row were all wearing seatbelts, but was not sure about others behind.

Other passengers who were not hospitalised confirmed on Thursday morning that they were wearing seatbelts too.

Yang said the road was flat at the time, and based on her own driving experience, didn't seem like a particularly dangerous area where an accident would be likely to happen.

A patient arrives at Waikato Hospital after a bus crash on State Highway 5 near Rotorua.

The unhurt members of the group are staying at a hotel in Rotorua. They were meant to be in New Zealand for nine days, before travelling to Melbourne.

'We don't know what to do next,' Wang said, 'We follow the travel agency.'

This trip is the first time Wang has ever travelled abroad.

Very few of the tourists have their own baggage at the moment, as it is temporarily being held by police. Due to the lack of Chinese-speaking police officers in Rotorua, some passengers are being transferred to Auckland to take statements and verify identities.

It's understood their their tour company is holding their visas.

After the accident, local volunteers in Rotorua, both Kiwi and Chinese spontaneously offered support and helped them prepare breakfast, Yang said was very touching.

The crash on Wednesday left five people dead and several more hurt after the bus failed to take what police have described as a 'moderate to easy bend' and went off the road. There were 27 Chinese nationals on board.

Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash who has not yet spoken to Police to contact them on (07) 349 9560.

- Stuff with SkyKiwi