Bay of Plenty police say 36 people are receiving medical treatment following a collision between a school bus and a logging truck this afternoon.
The injuries sustained in the accident, which occurred near Ruatoki, range from minor to moderate and critical.
An eight-year-old and a six-year-old are believed to be among the most seriously injured and were transferred to Rotorua Hospital by helicopter.
The driver of the logging truck was transferred to Tauranga Hospital by helicopter where he was initially thought to be in a critical condition, but is now stable. He will remain in hospital overnight.
Bay of Plenty Area Commander Inspector Sandra Venables says it appears the un-laden logging truck had run into the back of the school bus, knocking both vehicles into a nearby paddock.
“The collision has caused extensive damage to the rear of the bus, injuring many children. The collision has also caused the truck trailer to roll,” she said.
The bus was carrying students from Trident and Whakatane High Schools and primary schools students from Taneatua, Ms Venables said.
“Due to the number of schools involved, we are still confirming the numbers of students on the bus.”
All of the children are from the Ruatoki Valley area.
Police are now investigating the cause of the crash and have cordoned the area off.
“We will not be speculating on potential causes of the crash until the investigation is complete.
“Our focus is now on working with the families and whanau of those who were injured and impacted by the crash, as well as on the crash investigation itself.”
3 News