CATASTROPHEITALY
Italy: Bus falls from Venice bridge, over 20 dead
5 hours ago5 hours ago
The vehicle, which was carrying tourists plunged from an overpass in northern Italy. At least 21 people had been killed with more injured or unaccounted for.
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A picture shows the site of a bus accident on October 03, 2023 in Mestre, near Venice.
A bus fell off a bridge, crashing near a railway near Italy’s tourist city of VeniceImage: MARCO SABADIN/AFP
A bus carrying tourists crashed off an overpass near Venice on Tuesday, cathcing fire on impact near the train tracks below, leaving at least 21 people were dead and 18 injured.
“A huge tragedy struck our community this evening,” Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said on social media, saying “numerous victims” were on board. “An apocalyptic scene, there are no words.”
What do we know about the victims?
Brugnaro later told Italian state television channel Rai News24 that more people were still trapped in the wreckage.
With the rescue operation still ongoing, the death toll is expected to climb.
The accident occurred near Mestre, a suburb of Venice. Images from the scene seemingly taken from the road above showed a bus lying upside down near a train line, still smoldering.
A city hall spokesperson told the French AFP news agency the victims included two children.
Venice prefect Michele Di Bari, who acts as the Interior Ministry’s local representative, said the bus carried tourists. Local media reported they included Ukrainians and Germans.
Venice official Renato Boraso said the bus was bringing tourists to a camping site, adding that the victims included Ukrainians.
The local health authorities activated the major emergency protocol, La Repubblica reported.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her “profound condolences.”
“I am in contact with mayor Luigi Brugnaro and [Transport Minister] Matteo Salvini in order to follow the news of this tragedy,” she said in a statement.
16 dead in bus crash in northern Italy
00:23
rmt, msh/jsi (AFP, AP, Reuters)
