Eight people injured after school bus crashes into ditch near Murchison, 4 rescue choppers dispatched

A police spokeswoman said four rescue helicopters have been sent to the scene. Photo / 123rf

Eight people have been injured after a school bus crashed into a ditch in the South Island's Shenandoah region.

A police spokeswoman said four rescue helicopters have been sent to the scene.

Nine people were on the bus.

Police received a report at 4.20pm of a bus crashing into a ditch off the Shenandoah Highway in Shenandoah, near Murchison.

The nearest cross-streets are Maruia Saddle Rd and Pea Soup Rd, she said.

The road is currently closed and motorists are asked to avoid the area, she said.

St John said it assessed eight people with injuries. Two people with moderate injuries were flown in separate helicopters to Nelson Hospital while the remaining people were transferred to a medical clinic in Murchison with minor injuries.

Murchison Area School confirmed it was one of its school buses involved in the crash.