An Eketahuna couple woke today to find a charter bus carrying 41 teenagers aged 15 to 17 had veered off the road into a paddock surrounding their lifestyle block.
The group were returning from a youth conference in Auckland, according to St John Ambulance.
Dave and Robyn Angus who own a lifestyle block several kilometres out of Eketahuna say they woke to find a Tranzit bus had driven about 200 metres into their paddock, having torn through a fence as it veered off the road.
Police said a number of people had been injured after the bus had gone off the road on State Highway 2 just before 7.00am.
In a statement today Paul Snelgrove, Managing Director of Tranzit Group said there were 41 people on the bus, 10 of whom were taken to hospital for check-ups.
St John confirmed two people in a moderate condition and eight in a minor condition were transported to Wairarapa Emergency Department.
They have since been discharged.
Mr Snelgrove says the company is doing "everything possible" to support the driver and passengers involved.
He would not comment on the likely cause of the crash but said an investigation will be completed.
Ms Angus said the group looked to be "mostly teenagers" on what Tranzit confirmed to be a charter bus.
She said there were three police cars, ambulances and a fire engine attending.
Police say it’s not clear how the bus came off the road.
It was eventually towed off the property to a Tranzit depot in Masterton, Mr Angus said.
He said the fence had to be cut to remove the bus. The couple are yet to speak to their insurance company about the damage to the “chewed up” paddock and broken fenceline, Mr Angus said.
SHARE ME