The driver died after a school bus crashed on Makirikiri Rd near Marton. Photo / Bevan Conley
The driver died after a school bus crashed on Makirikiri Rd near Marton. Photo / Bevan Conley
A Rangitīkei school has praised its young students for comforting each other in the aftermath of a school bus crash that killed the driver.
The bus crash happened just before 3pm yesterday on Makirikiri Rd between Marton and Whanganui. Six students were on the bus at the time, and all escaped without injury. However, the driver died at the scene.
South Mākirikiri school principal Greg Allan and board of trustees member Libby Rayner said their thoughts are with the whānau of the driver.
“We will be supporting them through this tough time.”
They said they were incredibly proud of the students for handling such a difficult situation.
“[They] did an amazing job getting out of the vehicle, caring for, and supporting each other until help arrived soon afterwards.
“We are incredibly proud of the way they handled this challenging situation. We want to thank the emergency services who supported these students for their incredible care until familiar faces could get to them.”
The children are being supported by their whānau, trauma professionals and the Ministry of Education, along with their peers and teachers.
“We express our deepest condolences to the family of our driver who contributed greatly to our school community and all of our activities that required transport around the region,” Allan and Rayner said.
Go Bus chief executive Calum Haslop said the company is “completely devastated” by the loss of one of its drivers.
“The thoughts of the driver’s colleagues and the whole Go Bus team are with her grieving family,” said Haslop.
“We are thankful that none of the children travelling on the bus was seriously injured, and we note their support in looking after each other until emergency services arrived. We have been and will continue to be in contact with the school.”
“Go Bus is working with the police in support of its investigation into the accident and we are also providing support to the Go Bus team who of course have been deeply affected by this accident.”
