Two buses carrying Chinese tourists veered off a highway on New Zealand's South Island in perilous weather conditions, resulting in 15 passengers being taken to the hospital, with two in serious condition. The buses were traveling in the same direction on a popular tourist stretch of highway when they slid off the road and overturned, just 100 meters apart. The incident occurred in freezing temperatures with reports of heavy fog and black ice on the road.
The cause of the crashes is currently unknown, and officials have not confirmed the nationality of those on board. However, the Chinese consulate in Christchurch stated that the buses were carrying Chinese tourists. Fifteen people were hospitalized, with two in serious condition, eight moderately hurt, and five sustaining minor injuries. The exact number of passengers on the buses and those treated at the scene remains undisclosed.
