Tragedy struck on October 3 evening when a bus carrying tourists veered off an overpass near Venice, Italy, resulting in the loss of at least 21 lives and leaving 18 individuals injured. The incident, which occurred in the Mestre district, just outside Venice, has left the city in mourning and raised numerous questions about the cause of the accident.
City officials reported that the bus, en route to a campground, crashed through a guardrail, falling approximately 15 meters (50 feet) onto electrical lines below before erupting into flames at around 7:45 p.m. local time (1745 GMT). The cause of the crash remains unclear, though one line of inquiry is focused on the health of the 40-year-old Italian driver, who was among the casualties. It is suspected that the driver may have become incapacitated before the accident.
"It's an appalling tragedy, the city is in mourning," Renato Boraso, a Venice city councilor, expressed the city's profound sadness.
Of the 40 passengers aboard the bus, 21 lost their lives, and 18 sustained injuries. The death toll may rise as several of the injured passengers are in critical condition. The injured individuals were swiftly transported to nearby hospitals, with four of them being in serious condition.
Mayor Luigi Brugnaro, deeply affected by the incident, shared his shock on social media, writing;
"It's an apocalyptic scene. I am speechless."
Among the victims, five were Ukrainian nationals, and one was German, as per Venice's prefect Michele Di Bari, the local representative of the interior ministry. The bus is said to also carry passengers from France and Croatia.
Rescue teams faced significant challenges in recovering the bodies, as the bus was severely crushed, making it difficult to access some passengers. Tragically, two children were among those who lost their lives.
Late into the evening, rescuers continued efforts to remove the wreckage of the bus to ensure that no additional passengers were trapped inside.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offered her condolences, stating that her government's thoughts were with "the victims, their families, and their friends."
This tragic incident in Italy is a grim reminder of the risks associated with bus travel, as the country has witnessed several deadly bus accidents in recent years. In 2017, 16 people lost their lives when a bus carrying Hungarian students crashed near the city of Verona, while 40 people perished in 2013 when a bus plunged off a viaduct in southern Italy. The Venice incident underscores the importance of stringent safety measures and thorough investigations to prevent such tragedies in the future.
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