Italian authorities are still working diligently to identify the 21 victims of a deadly bus crash that occurred in Venice nearly 24 hours ago. The incident involved an electric bus that crashed through a bridge barrier, plummeting almost 15 meters (50 feet) in the mainland borough of Mestre before erupting in flames.
Prosecutor Bruno Cherchi has mentioned that DNA samples are being utilized to confirm the identities of those individuals who were not carrying any personal identification documents. Among the casualties, there were three children, including an infant, according to official reports.
The ill-fated bus was transporting 39 tourists from the center of Venice to a nearby campsite. Relatives of the victims from various countries have begun to arrive in Italy to identify their loved ones.
Mayor Luigi Brugnaro expressed deep sorrow, describing the scene as apocalyptic. Surveillance footage captured the bus passing another vehicle before toppling off the road.
Rescuers at the scene encountered a tragedy that primarily affected young individuals, with few adults among the victims. The casualties included nine Ukrainians, three Germans, four Romanians, two Portuguese, a South African national, and the Italian bus driver. Additionally, fifteen people sustained injuries, with five of them in serious condition, representing various nationalities.
Among the injured, two 16-year-olds and two younger children were reported, as per the local governor. Two young German brothers, aged seven and 13, were receiving treatment for broken bones in a nearby hospital, following the loss of their parents in the accident.
Tragically, a young Croatian woman, who was on her honeymoon, lost her life, while her husband was hospitalized. At the Angelo di Mestre hospital, some survivors were inquiring about their family members, highlighting the presence of entire families affected by the incident.
Venice's prosecutor, Bruno Cherchi, disclosed that only a few survivors had been able to provide statements to investigators by Wednesday afternoon. In response to the tragedy, the city's authorities have declared three days of mourning.
The bus accident occurred at approximately 19:45 local time on Tuesday. It appeared that the bus had been rented by a local company to transport tourists from Venice's historic center to a campsite in the nearby Marghera district on the mainland.
Witnesses reported seeing the bus scraping along the guardrail on the flyover for a distance of 50 meters before plunging to the ground. The bus company clarified that the 13-tonne vehicle was electric, countering earlier reports suggesting it also ran on methane gas. Fire brigade commander Mauro Longo explained that the bus's batteries caught fire, making the recovery operation complex.
Witnesses recalled hearing cries for help, but the intensity of the flames hindered immediate assistance. Two residents, a 27-year-old Gambian worker, and his housemate, a Nigerian, were among the first responders. They recounted their efforts to rescue several individuals, including a young girl, from the blazing bus.
Boubacar Touré and Odion Eboigbe ran towards the scene upon hearing a sudden and thunderous crash near their apartment. They described pulling a woman and her son from the bus, with the child suffering from severe burns.
Despite efforts to extinguish the fire, it continued to rage intensely. The cause of the bus veering off the flyover on a downhill stretch and crashing through the guardrail and metal barrier remains unclear. Authorities are reviewing security camera footage near the accident site for more insights.
The 40-year-old driver, Alberto Rizzotto, had been employed by the bus company for seven years. There were no signs on the road suggesting that he attempted to apply the brakes before the accident. In his final Facebook post, he mentioned running a "shuttle to Venice." Luca Zaia, the head of the Veneto region, suggested the possibility of the driver falling ill moments before losing control of the bus, though he emphasized the need to refrain from speculative conclusions.
Massimo Fiorese, a representative from the La Linea bus company, noted that the vehicle was less than a year old, and the driver was highly experienced. Surveillance footage captured the bus slowing down and braking just before the crash, raising questions about the driver's condition.
Firefighters successfully removed the wrecked bus from the scene during the early hours of Wednesday. A reception center, staffed with psychologists and psychiatrists, has been established at a nearby hospital to offer support to the families of the victims. Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni extended condolences to the victims' families and friends.
Published: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-67008199
Date Published: Friday 6 October 2023
Image courtesy of: BruceTurner
