Tonga’s Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni, is in Gisborne to meet the survivors of last week’s bus crash, in which two people died.
The dead were 11-year-old Sione Taumālolo and 33-year-old woman, Talita Fifita.
They were travelling with a Tongan school brass band on a fund raising tour of New Zealand.
Police said this morning 10 people remained in hospital. There were 53 people on the bus when it crashed.
Police said this morning they could not speculate on the cause of the crash while the Serious Crash Unit was investigating the incident.
A number of reports have appeared in the media suggesting that the bus’s brakes failed before it went off the road.
Police are speaking with a number of those who were on the bus, including the driver. Interviews are expected to take two days.
The investigation will include a full mechanical inspection of the bus once it is recovered, along with an assessment of road conditions and any other possible contributing factors to the crash.
“This crash is a tragedy for all those involved and we are offering all the support we can to the passengers as they grieve and mourn the loss of their friends and loved ones,” Tairawhiti Area Commander, Inspector Sam Aberahama said.
Police said State Highway Two between Wairoa and Gisborne, where the crash occurred, was open today, but was likely to remain down to one lane until 3pm.
Tomorrow the highway between Nuhaka and Gisborne will be fully closed for up to eight hours from 6am while the wreckage of the bus is recovered.
While the road is closed there will be a signposted diversions via Tiniroto Road.
Travellers are asked to drive with caution in the area as the road is not a main highway.
New Zealand Minister for Pacific Peoples, Hon. Alfred Ngaro visited the survivors in Gisborne last night.
“There were people on crutches, with bandages and plaster casts,” he told Radio New Zealand.
“At that stage no-one was really wanting to talk about anything, everyone was still in shock
“There was quite a bit of emotion, very sombre.”
The Minister and Inspector Aberahama were due to hold a press conference at 11.30am this morning (December 26).
The main points
- Tonga’s Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni, is in Gisborne to meet the survivors of last week’s bus crash, in which two people died.
- Police said this morning they could not speculate on the cause of the crash while the Serious Crash Unit was investigating the incident.
- Police are speaking with a number of those who were on the bus, including the driver.
- Tomorrow the highway between Nuhaka and Gisborne will be fully closed for up to eight hours from 6am while the wreckage of the bus is recovered.
