A 55-year-old man with chest and back pain, a 52-year-old woman with chest, shoulder and neck pain and a woman with a fractured ankle were flown to Southland Hospital, police said.
The bus driver had also been taken to Southland Hospital as a precaution, while the remaining uninjured people were being transported back to Te Anau.
St John ambulance spokesperson Alena Lynch said seven people had moderate injuries and and six had injuries described as minor.
Some of the injured were still at the scene, however she said the remaining patients would be transported by ambulance to Invercargill Hospital.
Invercargill Senior Sergeant, Maggie Windle said nobody was thought to have been physically trapped inside the bus after it rolled.
However, an ambulance spokesperson said the crash brought down live powerlines, forcing the passengers to stay onboard.
Power had since been restored to the area and one lane of the State Highway 94 had been reopened, police said.
They said there had also been two other motor vehicle crashes in the Mossburn and Acton Road areas, about the same time as the bus crash.
A grit truck has been through the area, and the road is open to eastbound traffic at the crash scene. It may be several hours before the road is completely reopened.
Both Police Serious Crash Unit and Commercial Vehicle Investigation Unit officers are on their way to the scene.
Police were liaising with the Chinese consulate in Christchurch over the incident.
NZTA is reporting ice on SH97 from Five Rivers To Mossburn, SH6 from Lumsden To Dipton, SH1 Athurton To Pukerau, and SH94 Te Anau To Milford Sound.
- Herald Online staff
