Three people have died and eight others are fighting for their lives this afternoon when a coach carrying tourists crashed into a cliff in southwestern France.
The bus accident occurred when the coach was traveling in the dark near the Pyrenean ski resort of Porté-Puymorens, near Andorra, after the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle.
It crashed into the cliff and overturned, leaving three passengers dead and eight more, including a four-year-old child, injured.
More than 100 firefighters and other emergency services responded to the scene shortly after the accident.
A spokesman for local emergency services 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 at a nearby hospital.”
They added that the injured four-year-old boy was one of the victims in intensive care.
The coach, which was returning to its headquarters in Barcelona after a day trip to Andorra, was the only vehicle involved in the accident.
The bus accident occurred when the coach was traveling in the dark near the Pyrenean ski resort of Porté-Puymorens, near Andorra, after the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle.
The bus crashed into the cliff and overturned, leaving three passengers dead and eight others, including a four-year-old child, injured.
More than 100 firefighters and other emergency services responded to the scene shortly after the accident.
The driver is believed to have lost control after a problem with the brakes.
A witness identified only as Laurent, an off-duty firefighter, told Perpignan-based media outlet Indépendant: “We were behind. He (the driver) had been zigzagging for a mile.
“It looked like it was trying to graze the barrier, as if it wanted to lose speed, before crashing into the cliff.”
Jean-Philippe Augé, mayor of Porté-Puymorens, said: “This is a tragedy and we must be cautious about the human cost.” It could increase overnight.
“What I can tell you is that the road in question, RN320, is not known to be particularly accident-prone.
“It’s narrow, of course, and the downhill curve is a bit tight, but until now it has never been the cause of accidents of this severity.”
Augé said a “psychological unit” had been created at his town’s holiday resort to help survivors and their families.
Everyone on board the coach had spent the day Christmas shopping in El Pas de la Casa, the Andorran ski resort, located about 240 kilometers from Barcelona.
The Pyrenean ski resort of Porté-Puymorens, near Andorra, near where the accident occurred
It is understood that the majority of people on board were mainly of Spanish and Colombian nationality. More details about the dead and injured have not yet been released.
A spokesman for the local prefecture said the accident occurred around 5 p.m. local time.
François Durovray, France’s Transport Minister, said in X: “My thoughts are with the families of the victims and with all those injured.
‘I would like to praise the commitment of the emergency services, security services and local authorities in the face of this dramatic situation. I am closely monitoring the situation – safety on our roads remains a top priority.’
