Six Chinese tourists were killed after a bus rolled over on a state highway in north of Rotorua on New Zealand's North Island on Wednesday, the Chinese embassy in New Zealand said.
The bus was carrying a total of 23 Chinese tourists when it rolled over on a road that was slippery due to bad weather. Seventeen of the tourists were injured and sent to nearby hospitals, the embassy said in a statement.
New Zealand police later said at a press conference that there were 27 people on the bus at the time of the crash, and the driver is not seriously injured.
Police confirmed the crash only involved one vehicle and saw the medium-sized tourist bus flip over to the driver's side.
The highway is still closed as police are working to remove the bus.
An investigation into the cause of the incident has opened, police told reporters.
Earlier, photos on social media showed survivors emerging from the crash site wrapped in blankets, escorted by police officers.
The Chinese embassy said it had launched an emergency plan to provide support and assistance to the recovery work of the Chinese nationals. Wu Xi, Chinese ambassador to New Zealand, is heading to the scene.
