WELLINGTON, Dec. 31 -- At least 16 tourists, most of them Chinese, have been taken to hospital after a crash between a bus and a car on a major tourist route in New Zealand's South Island Thursday.

The crash, which involved three people in the car and 31 tourists from Shanghai on the bus, occurred on State Highway 73 at Otira Gorge in the Canterbury region late Thursday morning.

All of the people in the car were also tourists, said a police statement, which gave no other information about their nationalities.

The bus tipped over on to its side in the crash and the road was expected to be closed for several hours, said the police statement.

Five of the Chinese tourists, including three who were critically injured, were taken to Christchurch Hospital, a spokesperson for the Chinese Consulate in Christchurch told Xinhua.

Other Chinese tourists hurt in the accident were taken to Greymouth and would be transferred to Christchurch on Friday, said the spokesperson.

The Chinese Consul General and officials from the consulate were in attendance at Christchurch Hospital.

"We have transported eight patients to Christchurch Hospital ED (emergency department) with injuries ranging from minor to very serious. These were mostly flown by rescue helicopter, one was brought by road," Ian Henderson, of St John ambulance service, told Xinhua.

"Another eight patients were taken by road ambulances to Grey Base Hospital ED. These patients had moderate to minor injuries," he said in a phone interview.

Radio New Zealand reported late Thursday that a Christchurch Hospital spokesperson said two people were in a critical condition, five were serious and one was stable.

Police Inspector Iain McKenzie told Radio New Zealand that other motorists had done an outstanding job taking care of injured people before emergency services arrived at the scene.

"Several people stopped and were assisting victims out of the upturned bus and providing first aid to the injured. They did an excellent job of looking after a large group of traumatized people," he said.

Debby Deaker, owner of the Bealey Hotel in nearby Arthur's Pass, told Xinhua in a phone interview that the road, which was popular with tourists travelling between the east and west of the South Island, could be treacherous for people who were unfamiliar with it.

"I just hope people understand that this is a beautiful road and there's no rush -- just take your time and enjoy the scenery," she said.