Sydney, Sept. 5 (People’s Daily Online/ Quanjiao Wang) The Chinese Embassy in New Zealand confirmed on Sept. 4 that five Chinese tourists died in a serious bus crash near Rotorua in New Zealand’s North Island.

At 11:19 am local time on Sept. 4, 2019, a severe traffic accident occurred on State Highway 5 at Ngatira, 20km northwest of Rotorua. New Zealand police have confirmed that the bus, which crashed near Rotorua, had 27 people on board, including 24 Chinese tourists, one local driver and two tour guides. The five confirmed dead are all Chinese tourists.

According to the New Zealand Herald, the bus is believed to have veered onto the wrong side of a wet road before it over-corrected and rolled. The cause of the accident is currently under investigation, and the injured were taken to nearby hospitals.

Working groups of the Chinese Embassy in New Zealand and the Consulate General in Auckland have arrived at relevant cities to offer condolences and assist the injured, calling for local authorities to help with the follow-up work.

The Chinese Embassy announced in a statement that as of 6 pm on Sept. 4, three people with serious injuries were receiving medical treatment at Waikato Hospital. Four with minor injuries were receiving treatment or under observation at Rotorua Hospital. Other passengers have left the hospital to rest at a hotel in Rotorua.