Man charged with careless driving over Rotorua bus crash that killed five

September 20, 2019

The tourist bus crashed on State Highway 5, rolling off the road.

A man has been charged with careless use of a motor vehicle causing the deaths of five people  following a tour bus crash near Rotorua earlier this month.

The man, a 38-year-old Chinese national, is due to appear in Auckland District Court today.

The crash happened after the bus, carrying Chinese tourists, failed to take a moderate to easy bend and lost control - rolling off the road on State Highway 5 between Waiohotu and Galaxy roads around 11am on September 4, police previously said.

There were no other vehicles involved in the accident.

Chinese Ambassador Wu Xi has been talking to victims as they recover in Rotorua Hospital.

A child was among those killed, with others injured.

Bishal Jung Basnet , 23, told 1 NEWS he was travelling from Te Puke to Hamilton when he passed the crash site.

"They were screaming for help, waving to get the attention from people passing on the road," he said.

Bishal Basnet was one of people at the scene of the crash in which five people died.

The investigation is still ongoing and police cannot rule out further charges being laid, they said in a statement today.

Two others among the 27 people on board are seriously injured.

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