The driver might have become unwell prior to the deadly bus accident in Venice
04.10.2023 posted by Admin
Italian authorities are currently probing the tragic bus crash on the outskirts of Venice, aiming to determine the cause of the accident that claimed the lives of 21 individuals, including several children, and left 15 others injured.
The incident occurred late Tuesday in the Mestre district when an electric bus careened through a guardrail and plunged over 33 feet, subsequently igniting upon impact with the ground.
Among the victims, there were five Ukrainians, one German, and the Italian bus driver, as reported by Venice's prefect Michele Di Bari, who refrained from disclosing the nationalities of the remaining casualties.
The tragic event unfolded just before 8:00 p.m. (1800 GMT) on a typically bustling route connecting Mestre to Venice's historic center, running parallel to a railway line. Veneto regional president Luca Zaia suggested that the driver might have fallen ill, with potential clues coming from witness accounts and CCTV footage.
Among the injured were four Ukrainians, two Spaniards, two Austrians, one German, one Croatian, and one French individual. The bus had been transporting tourists back to a nearby campsite in Marghera after a day exploring Venice.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy conveyed his condolences to the victims' families during an Italian television appearance on Wednesday.
Local residents near the crash site recounted hearing a loud explosion and rushing to offer assistance. One witness, Godstime Erheneden, originally from Nigeria, described a distraught woman pleading for help to find her daughter, who appeared lifeless. Tragically, the child was about the same age as his own son.
Authorities conducted checks on the bus's number plates, revealing it to be an electric vehicle from a Chinese manufacturer. Firefighters remained vigilant about potential fire risks from the bus's batteries.
Massimo Fiorese, the head of the bus company, watched video footage preceding the accident. He noted that the bus seemed to slow down and nearly come to a halt before crashing through the guardrail. Fiorese speculated that the driver might have been unwell, as it was otherwise challenging to explain the incident. Notably, the driver had started their shift less than two hours before the crash.
Images from the accident site depicted an aging, relatively thin metal guardrail on the overpass, rather than a more robust concrete barrier. Yellow flowers adorned the damaged rail, which was cordoned off with concrete blocks.
The incident occurred late Tuesday in the Mestre district when an electric bus careened through a guardrail and plunged over 33 feet, subsequently igniting upon impact with the ground.
Among the victims, there were five Ukrainians, one German, and the Italian bus driver, as reported by Venice's prefect Michele Di Bari, who refrained from disclosing the nationalities of the remaining casualties.
The tragic event unfolded just before 8:00 p.m. (1800 GMT) on a typically bustling route connecting Mestre to Venice's historic center, running parallel to a railway line. Veneto regional president Luca Zaia suggested that the driver might have fallen ill, with potential clues coming from witness accounts and CCTV footage.
Among the injured were four Ukrainians, two Spaniards, two Austrians, one German, one Croatian, and one French individual. The bus had been transporting tourists back to a nearby campsite in Marghera after a day exploring Venice.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy conveyed his condolences to the victims' families during an Italian television appearance on Wednesday.
Local residents near the crash site recounted hearing a loud explosion and rushing to offer assistance. One witness, Godstime Erheneden, originally from Nigeria, described a distraught woman pleading for help to find her daughter, who appeared lifeless. Tragically, the child was about the same age as his own son.
Authorities conducted checks on the bus's number plates, revealing it to be an electric vehicle from a Chinese manufacturer. Firefighters remained vigilant about potential fire risks from the bus's batteries.
Massimo Fiorese, the head of the bus company, watched video footage preceding the accident. He noted that the bus seemed to slow down and nearly come to a halt before crashing through the guardrail. Fiorese speculated that the driver might have been unwell, as it was otherwise challenging to explain the incident. Notably, the driver had started their shift less than two hours before the crash.
Images from the accident site depicted an aging, relatively thin metal guardrail on the overpass, rather than a more robust concrete barrier. Yellow flowers adorned the damaged rail, which was cordoned off with concrete blocks.