KEY POINTS:
- Man arrested in relation to Christmas eve crash
Police have arrested a 65-year-old man in relation to the bus crash on Christmas Eve on State Highway 2, south of Gisborne.
The bus carrying 54 people crashed down a 100m bank and two people - Sione Taumalolo, 11, and Talita Moimoi, 33 - died. Many on board were teenage members of the touring band from Mailefihi Siu'ilikutapu College in Tonga, along with their teachers and supporters. The group was on its way to Gisborne to perform in the Wesleyan Methodist Church near Roebuck Rd on Christmas Day.
Two passengers - one of whom lost a leg as a result of the crash - were taken to Hawke's Bay Hospital by the Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter and later released a statement, thanking those who had helped them recover from the incident, including, "God who let us live, the emergency services at the crash and the Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter which brought us to hospital," it read.
Several other passengers were taken to hospital at Gisborne and Waikato.