Visiting Seamen Die In Collision With Bus

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31677, 13 May 1968, Page 1

Visiting Seamen Die In Collision With Bus

(New Zealand Press Association? INVERCARGILL, May 12. Two Norwegian seamen are dead and two North Island girls are fighting for life in the Kew Hospital, Invercargill, after a head-on collision between a rental car and a bus on the Mana-pouri-Te Anau Road late last night.

The seamen and the two girls were in the car. Only one of the 21 pen sons was injured in the bus, which was bringing Invercari gill Repertory Society players home after a performance at Manapouri. The two in the Kew Hospital intensive care unit are Misses Sora Floranza Matchitt, aged 24, of Opotiki, and Vivienne Violet Smith, aged 24, of Patutahi, near Gisborne. Miss Jean Hawkes, of 653 Tay Street, Invercargill, who was in the bus, suffered a broken arm and broken nose. Miss Pat Hilliard, of Invercargill, was sitting in a single seat beside the driver when the accident happened. She was catapulted through the windscreen of the bus, rolled and bounced for several yards over rough tussock, and stood up unhurt.

Other bus passengers received minor bumps and grazes. The driver was not hurt. Police are withholding the names of the two seamen, off the Norwegian freighter

s Varangfjell, berthed at Bluff, I until relatives have been notit fled. The bus, and the rental car * which was wrecked, are both , owned by H. and H. Travel t Lines, of Invercargill.