Five people were killed and 40 others injured when a Dutch tour bus crashed into a roadside barrier and overturned in eastern Switzerland on Thursday afternoon. The bus, with 45 people on board, was traveling in a construction zone between the villages of Susch and Zernez in the canton of Graubuenden.
Emergency services deployed seven rescue helicopters and 13 ambulance crews to evacuate the victims. Three individuals remain hospitalized in serious condition.
Rescue crews worked through the night, using power saws to access individuals inside the overturned vehicle. Authorities, including prosecutors and police, have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident, with initial reports suggesting no other vehicles were involved.
Oad, the travel agency organizing the tour, expressed deep shock and devastation regarding the accident. Swiss President Guy Parmelin pledged that Swiss authorities would conduct a comprehensive and thorough investigation. Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima offered condolences to the families of those affected.
