• One person is dead and 20 injured after a crash involving a tour bus near Queenstown.
• The crash on State Highway 6 involved the bus and two cars, with serious and critical injuries reported.
• The road is closed for investigations, with motorists urged to use an alternative route.

One person is dead and 20 injured after a serious crash involving a tour bus near Queenstown.

Emergency services are responding to the accident involving the bus and two cars on State Highway 6 this afternoon.

“A person from one of the cars was confirmed deceased at the scene and at least two others are reported to have critical injuries,” police said.

“At least two people from the bus are reported to have serious injuries and a number of other people have moderate injuries.”

The incident happened near the intersection of State Highway 6 and Glen Nevis Station Rd.

Images from the scene show seven rescue helicopters along with emergency services surrounding a bus. People could be seen being transported away on stretchers.

Emergency services attend a crash between a car and a bus on Kingston Rd near the Devil's Staircase in Queenstown.

A witness told the Herald a car had gone head-on into a tourism bus with a trailer.

“The bus had rippled like a slinky.”

He understands up to 25 people are injured.

”Seven rescue helicopters, six fire appliances, and maybe 10-15 ambulances at least,” he said.

”Major incident vehicles, support vehicles, managers, CIB police and road police.”

Hato Hone St John said it was notified of a motor vehicle incident on Kingston Rd around 4pm today.

Twenty people were treated with two critical, two serious and multiple people with moderate and minor injuries.

“Hato Hone St John responded [with] nine ambulances, two operations manager, one rapid response unit, one major incident support team, and seven helicopters,” it said on its alerts site.

The New Zealand Transport Agency said SH6 north of Kingston township is now closed due to the crash.

“Police serious crash investigations will be required following this incident,” NZTA said in a post online.

“It is highly likely the road will remain closed for several hours, possibly late into this evening.”

A local business owner told the Herald he heard ambulances and police going through to the scene.

“It honestly sounds like a major crash, because they said there was a person in the car the bus hit … I reckon the road will be closed for some time,” he said.

Emergency services attend a crash between a car and a bus on Kingston Rd.

Another local business owner believed the road would remain closed overnight.

”I think the bus that was involved in the crash is blocking the road.”

Motorists are urged to delay travel where possible.

An alternative route south is available via SH6, SH8B, SH8 t, SH90 to SH94 and back onto SH6. The reverse is in place for northbound travel. Allow an additional 2 1/2 hrs for this diversion.