Call for witnesses after fatal tourist bus crash near Kingston

Emergency services at the scene of the crash at Kingston near Queenstown yesterday. Photo / James Allan

Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward after a crash between a car and a tourist bus near Queenstown left one person dead and 10 injured yesterday.

A passenger in the car died after the two vehicles collided about 7.20am on State Highway 6, about 5km south of Kingston.

The Otago Daily Times reported the driver of the car was passing a truck when the collision happened.

A St John spokesman said one patient had suffered critical injuries and there were three moderate and six minor injuries. The patient with critical injuries, believed to be the driver of the car, was transported to Dunedin Hospital by helicopter.

Otago Lakes-Central area commander Inspector Olaf Jensen said the car was heading north when it and a bus heading south collided.

Police were yet to identify the passengers and it was "too early" to determine the cause, Jensen said.

The accident followed another crash involving a car and a bus carrying 14 tourists near the Devil's Staircase south of Queenstown two weeks ago in which one person died.