THREE people have died and several are injured after a tourist coach crashed into a cliff in the south-west of France.
The accident happened on Sunday afternoon near the Pyrenees ski resort of Porté-Puymorens, by Andorra.
AFPThe bus was carrying 48 passengers and overturned on the RN320 road after colliding with the cliff[/caption]
AFPA Spanish coach travelling between Barcelona and Andorra overturned on a mountain road in the ski resort of Porté-Puymorens[/caption]
AFPOfficers, members of the Toulouse paediatric team and emergency services operate from the makeshift command post[/caption]
Eight people including a child have reportedly been injured.
The bus was carrying 48 passengers and overturned on the RN320 road after colliding with the cliff.
A local emergency spokesman said: “Five helicopters are involved in an operation to rescue more victims.”
“So far, three people have died, and eight others are in intensive care in nearby hospitals,”
“One of those in intensive care is a four-year-old child who was travelling with his parents.”
The coach, which was on its way back to its home depot in Barcelona following a day trip to Andorra, was the only vehicle involved in the accident.
It is thought that the driver lost control following a problem with its brakes.
A witness named only at Laurent, an off-duty firefighter, told the Perpignan-based Indépendant news outlet: “We were driving behind. He [the driver] had been zigzagging for a kilometre and a half.
“It seemed like he was trying to rub the barrier, as if he wanted to lose speed, before crashing into the cliff.”
Jean-Philippe Augé, the Mayor of Porté-Puymorens, said: “This is a tragedy, and we have to be cautious about the human toll. It could rise overnight.
“What I can tell you is that the road in question, the RN320, is not known for being particularly accident-prone.
“It is narrow, of course, and the bend on the descent is a bit sharp, but until now it has never been the cause of accidents of this seriousness”.
Mr Augé said a ‘psychological unit’ had been set up in his town’s holiday centre, to help survivors and their families.
All of those on board the coach had spent the day Christmas shopping in El Pas de la Casa, the Andorran ski resort, which is about 150 miles from Barcelona.
François Durovray, France’s transport minister, said on X: “My thoughts are with the families of the victims and all those injured.
“I would like to commend the commitment of the emergency services, security services, and local authorities in the face of this dramatic situation. I am following the situation closely – safety on our roads remains an absolute priority.”