An investigation is under way after a school bus carrying 16 children rolled down a bank in south Taranaki on Tuesday.
Constable Mark Carter of Eltham police said the bus was travelling on Mangawhero Road, east of Eltham, about 8am, when it went through a fence, over a bank and tipped on its right side.
Carter said, as a precautionary measure, six of the 16 children on board were taken to hospital with minor injuries.
A 10-year-old was also airlifted to Taranaki Base Hospital, but was later discharged with minor injuries. Carter said a decision over whether the bus driver would be charged in connection with the accident was some weeks away.
“There will be an investigation by the CTIU police — the commercial vehicle inspection team — then they’ll report to me with a recommendation.”
Carter said the road the bus had tipped on was not particularly dangerous.
“Round that area they’re all narrow country roads so it’s just a matter of driving to the conditions.”
The injured children were pupils at Kaponga Primary School.
School principal Shane Downs said he arrived on the scene soon after the crash, along with plenty of other locals.
“All the parents arrived on the scene pretty quickly and comforted them,” he told a Fairfax reporter.
NZPA
