Te Kura o Ngaruahine Rangi, corner of Hastings and Eltham Road. Photo: Photo / Robin Martin
The chair of a kura kaupapa involved in a crash in South Taranaki in which 11 of its students were injured says the support they have received has been overwhelming.
The children and one teacher from Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Ruahinerangi were on their way to a sports practice in Hāwera on Wednesday when their van was involved in an accident on Hastings Road.
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Ruahinerangi chair Renee Wright said as soon as other kura involved in the sports event heard about the accident they converged on the total immersion school which has about 80 students from Year 1 through to Year 13.
"They immediately came to our kura and we had a whole kura karakia and then the different kura around Whanganui and Taranaki all visited our tamariki. They took kai and provided manaaki making sure that the people who needed looking after were really looked after.
"They went to the tamariki and took food if they needed it and we made sure that the parents could get to all the different hospitals and if they needed accommodation we were making sure everything was okay for them."
As of mid-afternoon Thursday, three students remained in hospital, two in Waikato and another in the Wellington region. All were expected to make a full recovery.
Wright, who was out of region on Wednesday, said it was a shock when she got the call saying the school van had been in an accident.
"Oh, totally. I mean, it would be a shock for anybody, you know, to hear that their tamariki has been in an accident while they were off to a sports event from school. Sure, it was very worrying."
A cordon at intersection of Eltham and Hastings Roads. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
The students in the van were from Year 9 through to Year 13.
The school community quickly kicked into gear.
"We were all given our tasks and acted immediately. All the parents were contacted. They were all at the scene, they all arrived at the scene for their tamariki.
"We focused on the tamariki and their whānau to make sure that the tamariki were on the helicopters taking them to the different hospitals and their whānau were following."
Wright said Ngaruahine kaumatua performed karakia at the crash site before the helicopters left with the injured.
"And actually I drove past there twice today and they did a good job because it felt very clear."
She didn't know how the accident happened.
"Obviously, there's a full investigation that will take place and were not trying to guess anything at this stage. We have just focused on the tamariki and their whānau and the kaiako. We are working with the police.
"Well we all drive that road every day so that was the bizarre thing about it I suppose and it was just a surprise to all of us. We won't know what happened until the investigation is completed."
Wright said the school van was the only vehicle involved in the accident.
"There were only the 11 kids not the 13 reported and there was not another vehicle involved. Those are the facts."
The kaiako driving the van was bruised but back home and being supported by the school.
Police could not confirm whether there was one vehicle or not and said that was something that would come out in the investigation.
Wright was unable to say how serious the injuries were to the students who were admitted to hospital.
They took part of in a social media call last night with about 50 people from the school community who said karakia together.
"And the tamariki [in hospital] while they had sustained injuries they were letting us all know that at this stage they were coming through it."
Wright said the students were supporting one another.
"What I do know is even though the kids were going through that tumultuous event, their concern was always for each other. Our kids are very resilient and whoever went to the same hospital was making sure they were all okay.
"The five who went to Hāwera [hospital] were all discharged but wouldn't leave until they were all discharged together."
Wright thanked the emergency services and four rescue helicopter teams who came to the students aid.
"And everybody who's been working together to make sure the mauri of the kura and the tamariki are settled.
"We've had so much support not only from kura kaupapa Māori we've had kura, iwi, we've had a kura in Whanganui offering a van. We've had the Mangatoki Hall ladies who came over and had collected between them $500 to support the families with tamariki in hospital."
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