Howick College students discharged after bus crash

The bus had been carrying 50 students from Howick College in Auckland on an outing to the Pinnacles track when it crashed. Photo / Alan Gibson

None of the 13 Howick College students assessed and treated in Thames Hospital's emergency department following an incident where their school bus crashed and rolled into a ditch this morning, were seriously enough injured to be admitted into the hospital.

Emergency services were called to the incident on Kauaeranga Valley Road in Thames at 10.44am, after the bus carrying Year 10 students left the road.

Soon after the accident, staff at Thames Hospital were put on standby and subsequently saw and treated 13 students.

Hospital manager Jacquie Mitchell said she was very impressed with the students.

"They showed great maturity, calmness and were thoughtful about their friends and school mates," she said.

While having so many patients in the emergency department is unusual for Thames, responding to emergency situations is not.

"We had an incident management team in place within minutes. Thanks to our friends at St John and the police, we knew what to expect," she said.

Doctors, nurses and health care assistants helped out in the emergency department from 11.30pm when the first of the patients were seen.

"Our kitchen staff put on some soup, rolls and sandwiches for the students and for their parents as they started to arrive," said Mrs Mitchell.

"While it was a hive of activity between midday and 1pm, our staff coped very well."

The Westpac air ambulance was on the scene for an unrelated call out from Thames Hospital to Waikato Hospital, she said.