A Tongan school is mourning the loss of one of its head teachers, who died on Sunday after the Christmas Eve bus crash in Gisborne.
Leotisia Malakai, 55, died in Waikato Hospital.
She was the head teacher for female students at Mailefihi Siuilikutapu College and had been in New Zealand with the school's brass band.
Family and friends have posted tributes to Ms Malakai on social media.
"Fly High Aunty," said one. "God have called you to be one of his guardian angels."
Tongan Methodist Reverend Tevita Finau says she will be remembered as a passionate teacher.
"To get to the position of being a head teacher is an acknowledgement of her long service and commitment."
Fifty-three people were on board the bus when it crashed through a road barrier about 30km south of Gisborne near State Highway 2 late on December 24.
The bus was carrying students and teachers from Tonga's Mailefihi Siuilikutapu College Brass Band, who were visiting New Zealand to fundraise for their school in Tonga.
The group was travelling to Gisborne's Wesleyan Methodist Church where they were due to perform as a band on Christmas Day.
Eleven-year-old Sione Taumololo and 33-year-old Talita Fifita, both from Tonga, were also killed in the crash.
Newshub.
