The two Singaporean families, ranging in age from late teens to early 50s, were travelling from Te Anau to Milford Sound, when their bus failed to take a moderate right-hand bend 200m from the Homer Tunnel at 8.15am yesterday, Senior Constable Phillip Robertson, of Te Anau, said.
"They hit the lower parapet of the bridge, the bus flipped and it is now lodged under the bridge," he said.
Two female passengers were taken by Queenstown Heliworks and Southern Lakes Helicopters to Southland Hospital, with moderate injuries.
Three other passengers with minor injuries were taken by ambulance to Southland Hospital, and the remaining four passengers were taken to Te Anau in a private vehicle, he said.
Only the driver and the other front seat passenger were wearing seatbelts.
The driver had been charged with careless driving causing injury, Snr Const Robertson said.
The man had been driving too fast for the conditions, which were wet but not slippery.
He may have been distracted by the spectacular view after exiting the tunnel.
Other crashes had occurred in the same area, he said.
It would be "a challenge" to get salvage equipment to the scene to remove the bus.
"It has to be removed. We don't want any floods pushing it under the bridge."
Const Robertson said motorists needed to treat the Milford highway with respect and keep their speed down.
