Church group bus crash in Harden NSW leaves 27 injured

A woman in her 60s has suffered serious head injuries and a young boy a broken leg after a bus carrying a Griffith church group crashed in southern NSW

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A woman in her 60s has suffered serious head injuries and a young boy a broken leg after a bus carrying a Griffith church group crashed in southern NSW.

Ambulance NSW said a “confronting” scene greeted paramedics called to the accident on Burley Griffin Way at Harden, northwest of Canberra, just before 8.30am on Friday.

Images posted on social media show the bus had run off the road and crashed into a paddock, with its front crushed and windshield smashed.

Authorities said the bus was carrying 28 adults and children ranging from three to 69 years of age.

The scene of the bus crash on Burley Griffin Way at the Demondrille Creek Bridge. Picture: Twitter

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A woman, 65, and an eight-year-old boy were flown to Canberra Hospital, although Ambulance Inspector Stephen Pollard said neither patient had life-threatening injuries.

“They will be OK,” he said.

Twenty-five others on the bus, the majority of them children, were treated at Murrumburrah-Harden Hospital.

Three were in a serious but stable condition, the others suffered minor injuries, and 13 have now been cleared for discharge.

“We walked them up to the top of the hill. We did a quick triage to make sure none were seriously injured. Then we organised a bus to get them into Harden Hospital,” Inspector Pollard said.

Ambulance NSW were called to the accident on Burley Griffin Way at Harden, northwest of Canberra, just before 8.30am on Friday. Picture: NSW Ambulance

Ambulance NSW said a “confronting” scene greeted paramedics called to the accident on Burley Griffin Way at Harden, northwest of Canberra. Picture: NSW Ambulance

NSW Ambulance Superintendant Mark Gibbs said the crash scene earlier in the day was confronting.

“Having to assess and triage a large number of patients like this is extremely challenging, paramedics had to work quickly under difficult circumstances,” Supt Gibbs said.

“Turning up to a job like this is really difficult, often you don’t know what to expect, especially when children are involved”

“Our paramedics worked tirelessly with all emergency services”

Authorities said the bus was carrying 28 people. A 65-year-old woman and an eight-year-old boy were flown to Canberra Hospital. Picture: Channel 10

Two passengers were airlifted to Canberra Hospital while another 25 were transferred to Harden hospital with minor injuries. Picture: Channel 10

The bus was hired from M. I. A Coaches, based in the Riverina. Chief executive Owen Brown said the bus was new, and had left Griffith about 6am bound for Richmond in Sydney.

“It’s pretty devastating to have one of our vehicles involved in an accident with injuries,” he said.

The driver is at the scene assisting police, with a crime scene set up and the Major Crash Task Force on their way.

A crime scene is in place at the location and officers from the Major Crash Task Force are investigating.

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.