WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A bus has crashed near a popular New Zealand tourist town and police say there are multiple deaths and injuries.

Police said more than 20 people were on the bus that rolled on a highway about 20 minutes north of the North Island town of Rotorua.

Police said there were fatalities but couldn't immediately confirm the number. Several passengers suffered injuries and were transported to hospitals.

The St. John ambulance service said the crash happened about 11:20 a.m. in poor weather. It said it dispatched five helicopters and five ambulances to the scene.

St John said it airlifted one passenger in serious condition and two others in moderate conditions to hospitals and drove another three patients who had suffered moderate or minor injuries to hospitals.