Sant Pol de Mar bus crash
| Sant Pol de Mar bus crash | |
|---|---|
| Details | |
| Date | 31 July 2009 |
| Location | Sant Pol de Mar, Catalonia, Spain |
| Statistics | |
| Deaths | 6 |
| Injuries | 36 |
The Sant Pol de Mar bus crash was a traffic accident which occurred on Thursday 30 July 2009 in Sant Pol de Mar, near Barcelona, in north-eastern Spain. Six Dutch tourists are reported to have died on the spot, whilst between another 36 and 44 were injured in the accident.[1] Dutch media report the tour-bus left the highway on a bend, hit a crash barrier and then overturned. Some of these are in a serious condition.[2] The death toll, which was initially reported as eight,[1] may rise.[2]
The accident was covered by news organisations around the globe including those in Australia,[3] Canada,[4] China,[5] France,[6] India,[7] Ireland,[2] South Africa,[8] Thailand,[9] the United Arab Emirates,[10] the United Kingdom.[11]
Background
The bus carried 65 Dutch tourists who been visiting Barcelona for the day and were on their way home.[11] They were not part of an organised trip and were staying in different hotels.[1] The bus was locally hired.[1] There was also a tour guide of Dutch extraction and a Spanish driver.[1] Further information on the tourists has been limited for reasons relating to privacy.[1]
Crash
The crash occurred when the bus went off a road at a bend as it was leaving a highway at around 23:10 (21:10 GMT).[2][11] Emergency services hurried to the scene.[1] The injured parties were taken to eight different hospitals in the surrounding area.[4]
It has not been confirmed that all the tourists are Dutch.[3][8][9] The only non-Dutch person on the coach was the Spanish driver who was among the seriously injured.
Cause
The cause of the incident remains unclear.[11]
Manager Pere Artau from bus firm Plenacosta stated the driver has been working for the company for over sixteen years and tested negative on an alcohol test.[3][8][9][11][12]
Reaction
-
Dutch reaction: – The Dutch Minister of Justice Ernst Hirsch Ballin stated, on behalf of himself, Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende (who was on vacation at the time) and the rest of the Dutch cabinet he is "deeply shocked".[13] A Netherlands Government Information Service official said "their [Dutch cabinet] thoughts are with the victims and their families". Another spokesperson said Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands is "very upset by this terrible event" and that she "empathises intensly with those involved".[13] -
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The Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Yves Leterme sent his condolences to the Dutch government and to the relatives of the victims.[14]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "6 feared killed in tourist bus crash near Barcelona". Canada.com. 31-07-09. Retrieved 31-07-09. Check date values in:
|date=, |accessdate=(help) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Tourists killed in Spanish bus crash". RTÉ. 31-07-09. Retrieved 31-07-09. Check date values in:
|date=, |accessdate=(help) - ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Six tourists killed in bus crash". news.com.au. 31-07-09. Retrieved 31-07-09. Check date values in:
|date=, |accessdate=(help) - ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Spanish tour-bus crash kills 6". CBC. 31-07-09. Retrieved 31-07-09. Check date values in:
|date=, |accessdate=(help) - ↑ "Traffic accident kills 6 in Spain". China Daily. 31-08-01. Retrieved 31-07-09. Check date values in:
|date=, |accessdate=(help) - ↑ "Six dead, 39 hurt in Spain bus crash". France 24. 31-07-09. Retrieved 31-07-09. Check date values in:
|date=, |accessdate=(help) - ↑ "Six dead and 39 injured in bus accident in Spain". The Times of India. 31-07-09. Retrieved 31-07-09. Check date values in:
|date=, |accessdate=(help) - ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "Bus crash involving Dutch tourists kills six". IOL. 31-07-09. Retrieved 31-07-09. Check date values in:
|date=, |accessdate=(help) - ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "Bus crash involving Dutch tourists kills six in Spain". Bangkok Post. 31-07-09. Retrieved 31-07-09. Check date values in:
|date=, |accessdate=(help) - ↑ "At least 6 dead, as tourist bus crashes in Spain". Gulf News. 31-07-09. Retrieved 31-07-09. Check date values in:
|date=, |accessdate=(help) - ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 "Six die in Spain tour-bus crash". BBC. 31-07-09. Retrieved 31-07-09. Check date values in:
|date=, |accessdate=(help) - ↑ Willems, Maartje (31-07-09). "Zes Nederlanders omgekomen bij busongeluk in Spanje" (in Dutch). Elsevier. Retrieved 31-07-09. Check date values in:
|date=, |accessdate=(help) - ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Regering leeft mee met slachtoffers busongeluk" (in Dutch). NU.nl. 31-07-09. Retrieved 31-07-09. Check date values in:
|date=, |accessdate=(help) - ↑ "Belgische minister condoleert Verhagen" (in Dutch). De Telegraaf. 31-07-09. Retrieved 01-08-09. Check date values in:
|date=, |accessdate=(help)