The Christchurch-Akaroa Rd where the tourist bus crashed remained closed on Thursday afternoon after authorities try to remove the bus from its current resting position at least 40 metres down a hill.
The recovery operation was expected to take two hours and the road to reopen at 1pm on Thursday however the Christchurch City Council have said the recovery is proving more difficult than first thought.
Detours on the Summit Rd and Okains Bay Rd remain in place.
Cruise ship Celebrity Solstice confirmed six of their passengers, all Americans, were involved in the bus crash in Akaroa on Wednesday night.
In a statement released on Thursday morning, they say a "Care Team" was sent to Christchurch to help those taken to hospital. Four of the American patients were released and are now arranging alternative travel, while the two others remain in Christchurch Hospital.
"Our thoughts are with all those involved and we are praying for their speedy recovery," it said.
The tourist bus they were in went down a bank between Christchurch and Akaroa just after 5pm after it hit a car near Summit Rd.
The tourists on board were from the visiting cruise ship that was docked in Akaroa Harbour.
A helicopter was called out to take patients to hospital, with two in a critical condition - one of whom is believed to be the driver of the car.
A woman, who didn't see the accident but arrived a short time later, says she was told the bus had hit the car.
"The bus was actually over the white line," she told Newshub.
The commercial vehicle investigation unit and the serious crash unit are investigating.
Newshub.
