A bus which crashed in Manawatu this afternoon was carrying members of a Tauranga iwi protesting a controversial treaty settlement in Wellington.
Eight people have been taken to Whanganui Hospital and 11 to Palmerston North Hospital.
The bus, which was carrying 18 passengers as well as the driver, rolled onto its roof after crashing into a ditch 5km south of Sanson at Rongotea just before 3pm on Thursday.
Ngāi Te Rangi Iwi chief executive Paora Stanley has confirmed that the whanau on board the bus were returning to Tauranga from Parliament.
A peaceful protest by iwi collective Tauranga Moana quickly escalated to anger on Thursday morning as members of the Hauraki Collective - representing 12 neighbouring iwi - tried to enter parliament to sign a treaty settlement deal.
Opponents from Tauranga Moana, including representatives from Ngāi Te Rangi, say it's their land and isn't the government's to give to the collective.
Newshub.
