Bus crash hurts 19

Press, 16 August 1976, Page 1

Bus crash hurts 19

PA Wellington Three people were under intensive care last night after their bus crashed off the Mohaka Hill road near Wairoa early on Saturday morning. Mrs Mary Tapine, aged 40, of Wellington, was reported as “not so well” in the intensive care unit at Hastings Hospital. ’ Mr Tony King, aged 19, of Wellington, and Miss Bebe Timutimu, aged 18, also from Wellington, were both “satisfactory” in the Napier Hospital unit. They were flown by light aircraft from Wairoa to Napier on Saturday afternoon. Mrs Tapine was transferred to Hastings on Saturday night.

Another six people were discharged from Wairoa Hospital yesterday afternoon after overnight treatment for fractures, cuts and bruises.

Their bus had plunged down a steep 25-metre bank about 5.30 a.m. after failing to negotiate a corner, the Wairoa police said. They had left Porirua on Friday evening for a twenty-first birthday party at Tolaga Bay. Nineteen of the 45 passengers were taken by ambulances and bus to the Wairoa Hospital. Their $BO,OOO chartered bus was extensively damaged. It was only a year old and had been issued with a warrant of fitness a month ago. After the accident two

men clambered up the bank and tried to flag down three passing cars, but none stopped.

It is believed an incident, only a mile or so from the area during the week, in which a couple and their baby were ordered out of their car and robbed, may have dissuaded local people from stopping on the road at that hour of the morning.

The two men then went to a nearby cottage, but there was no telephone and the occupants had no means of transport. Later they succeeded in stopping a car with two local farmers. who took them to Raupunga police station, about four miles away, where they raised the alarm about 6 a.m.