A jet-boat hit a rock face on the Lower Shotover River, near Tuckers beach, about 3pm.
The incident is being investigated by Maritime New Zealand and the Department of Labour.
The Ngai Tahu Tourism-owned business suspended all operations after the incident and its southern regional general manager David Kennedy said last night he did not know if normal operations would resume today.
"We will be talking to Maritime New Zealand about that, as they are our regulatory authority," he said.
Queenstown police said the incident involved a single Shotover Jet boat containing 14 passengers, from Germany, America, the United Kingdom and New Zealand, and the driver.
The passengers were ferried about 200m downstream by a separate Shotover Jet boat, to Tuckers beach where emergency services were stationed.
Alana Reid, St John Queenstown operations team manager said all 14 passengers were treated by ambulance officers at Tuckers beach, and four Queenstown residents and a 60-year-old American man were taken by ambulance to Lakes District Hospital at Frankton.
The remaining nine passengers were taken on a separate jet-boat back to the Shotover Jet jetty at Gorge Rd, Arthurs Point.
Ms Reid said the conditions of those taken to hospital were at the "minor end of moderate" and they were being treated for spinal injuries, chest trauma and whiplash.
The four Queenstown locals were three females, two aged 20 and one aged 59, and a 26-year-old man.
She said the driver of the boat was not taken to hospital.
Mr Kennedy said he could not confirm whether the driver would be given time off work.
"We still need to work through everything ... there is a whole process we go through with our drivers to make sure they are cared for."
Mr Kennedy said he would not discuss the speed or the nature of the incident until Maritime New Zealand had assembled all the information.
Queenstown Lakes harbourmaster Marty Black said that he was called to the scene, and remained in touch with Maritime New Zealand throughout the incident.
The jet-boat sustained damage to its engine and its rear and was towed from the river by three utility vehicles about 90 minutes after the incident occurred.
