On Tuesday, 3rd October, 2023, a tourist bus carrying some 40 passengers veered off an elevated overpass and plunged down about 15 metre, killing over 20 passengers, in Venice, Italy. Reportedly, at least 21 people, which also included children, died in the tragic accident. The bus crashed off a flyover, broke through the barrier, plunged down the elevated overpass by almost 15 metre ( 50ft ), and subsequently also caught fire. The bus plunged down near railway tracks in Mestre – which is a district connected to Venice by a bridge.
According to reports, 21 people have been killed and 18 injured in the tragedy. Reportedly, the tourist bus veered off the road on the evening of 3rd October at approximately 7:45pm ( Central European Time ) and after crashing through the barrier, it next plummeted into electricity lines, which led to the bus catching fire.
Referring to the accident, Venice’s Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said in a post that it was an “apocalyptic scene” and that “there are no words”.
Renato Boraso, the Venice City Councillor stated the bus had been carrying 40 passengers, 21 of whom had died and 18 were injured. Furthermore, he also warned that the death toll could possibly rise as several of those who were critically injured due to the accident were currently hospitalised . Boraso expressed to Sky Italia television that the bus accident is an “appalling tragedy” and that “the city is in mourning”.
According to reports by an Italian news agency, five of the victims were Ukraininans, one German, and the bus was also carrying passengers from France and Croatia. Luca Zaia, the Veneto region governor, stated to RAI state television that it was still unclear as to how precisely the accident happened. Zaia said it is an “important tragedy” but it’s “difficult to understand how it happened”. He went on to further state that the bus was new and electric and the street “wasn’t particularly problematic”.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also expressed her condolences by conveying in a statement that her government’s thoughts were with “the victims, their families and their friends”.
The mayor of Venice also said that official mourning has been declared in Venice in memory of the victims.
