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At least 16 pensioners injured as tourist coach overturns in Murcia
The driver lost control of the coach, which crossed the central reservation and overturned on the opposite side of the motorway
At least 16 people were injured this Tuesday March 18 after a coach carrying pensioners taking a vacation on an Imserso OAP package tour overturned on the A7 motorway near Murcia.
The vehicle had departed from Valencia and was en route to Roquetas de Mar, in Almería, with 40 passengers on board.
According to reports from the Guardia Civil de Tráfico and the Emergency Coordination Centre, the incident took place around midday. For reasons still under investigation, the driver lost control of the vehicle, which then crossed the median and overturned across the opposite lanes near Nueva Condomina.
Emergency services received numerous calls, both from passengers and other drivers who witnessed the accident. The incident occurred at kilometre 562 of the A7, in the area of Cabezo de Torres.
Several emergency crews were quickly dispatched, including officers from the Guardia Civil de Tráfico and Murcia Local Police, as well as firefighters from the Parque del Infante and the Parque de Espinardo, and medical teams. Firefighters had to rescue one woman who was trapped inside the overturned coach.
Many passengers were able to leave the wreckage by themselves and waited on the motorway, using umbrellas to shelter from the rain. Other motorists stopped at the scene to assist, helping elderly passengers out of the bus and even breaking windows to facilitate their exit. Fortunately, no fatalities were reported.
The most seriously injured person was the driver, who sustained severe injuries to one of his arms.
Traffic was brought to a standstill in the direction of Alicante as emergency services worked to secure the area and prevent further accidents, and long tailbacks formed as a result.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash, with particular attention being given to the possibility that the wet conditions on Tuesday contributed to the driver losing control of the bus.
Also as a result of the rain, nine people had to be rescued from inside their vehicles on the RM-D18 road in Águilas.
Image: DGT
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