A bus veered off a narrow, winding road and plunged 20 metres (65 feet) down an embankment near a popular tourist destination close to Barcelona, Spain, leaving 83 people injured on Sunday afternoon.
Catalan medical emergency services confirmed that seven people were in a serious condition, 18 suffered moderate injuries and 58 sustained minor wounds. Many passengers got out of the bus and climbed up to the road on foot following the crash.
Emergency response and rescue efforts
The alert was raised just after 4pm UK time, with emergency services reportedly receiving at least 25 calls about the incident. A large-scale response was launched, involving 23 ambulances, two medical helicopters, three joint teams of firefighters and medical personnel, and three psychological support teams.
Olga Pane, health minister of the Generalitat of Catalonia, said rescue crews were combing the surrounding area to establish whether there could be any further victims. Catalonia's Corps of Firefighters announced that drones and sniffer dogs would be deployed to the scene, with intensive searches being carried out around the bus to ensure no casualties had been missed.
Cause under investigation
The precise cause of the crash remains unclear and is currently under investigation. Spanish news agency EFE reported that the bus left the road before plummeting down the embankment.
The bus company Sagales confirmed that one of its vehicles on the 573 route was involved in the accident. In a post on X, the company stated: "Sagalés confirms that this afternoon a bus on line 573 Fogars de Montclús information centre - Santa Fe del Montseny was involved in an accident on the BV-5114 road, in Fogars de Montclús."
Sagales added that it had been collaborating with emergency services and the competent authorities from the first moment, placing itself at their disposal to provide all necessary information to clarify the circumstances of the accident. The company said its priority at that time was the care of the affected passengers and driver.
