Emergency services at the scene of a bus crash on State Highway 5 at Ngatira, the North Island. (New Zealand Herald photo)

Five Chinese nationals were killed and another six injured when a tourist bus veered off a highway and flipped during bad weather in New Zealand’s North Island, police said.

Police said 27 people were in the vehicle when it crashed about 20 kilometers (12 miles) outside Rotorua, a popular tourist town in the Bay of Plenty area known for its hot springs.

“Unfortunately police believe that five of those 27 onboard have lost their lives as a result of the crash,” inspector Brent Crowe told reporters.

Crowe said two of the survivors were seriously injured and four were moderately hurt.

“This is an absolute tragedy for Bay of Plenty roads, even more so because of the fact we have Chinese nationals, visitors to our country, who have been impacted.”

Crowe declined to give details of the deceased, saying authorities were still working to identify them and contact their families in China.

He said the driver was not seriously injured and an investigation into the cause of the crash was under way.

He said the accident occurred as the bus approached a bend on a winding, hilly stretch of road.

A bus carrying 27 people rolls into a ditch on the State Highway 5 near Rotorua amid heavy rains on Wednesday morning. (rescue.org.nz)

“At the time, the weather was very unfavorable, there was high winds, fog and a lot of rain. The road surface was clearly wet and therefore slippery,” he said.

The Chinese embassy in Wellington told TVNZ that ambassador Wu Xi was on her way to the crash site to help those involved in the crash.

“The embassy attaches great importance to the tragic incident,” it said. “Our deep condolences with those who died and injured.”