27 Dec 2022

Seven die in coach plunge horror in Spain

4:33 pm on 27 December 2022
The wreck of a bus lies in the Lerez river after it plunged while crossing a bridge, killing four people, in Cerdedo-Cotobade, northwestern Spain, on December 25, 2022. - The accident occurred on December 24 night near Vigo and the border with Portugal. The regional La Voz de Galicia newspaper said the bus was carrying people visiting their loved ones jailed in Monterroso in central Galicia. Rescue operations had to be suspended overnight due to bad weather but resumed in the morning. (Photo by Brais Lorenzo / AFP)

An investigation continues, with officials saying bad weather may have caused the deadly crash. Photo: Brais Lorenzo / AFP

Emergency services in Spain have confirmed a seventh death after a bus plunged from a bridge into a river on Christmas Eve.

Rescuers retrieved the body of a woman from the Lerez river in the north-western Galicia region on Monday.

Two people, including the driver, were hurt after the bus travelling from Lugo to Vigo fell from a height of about 30 metres into the fast-flowing river.

Officials said bad weather may have caused the crash.

They said the bus driver tested negative for alcohol and drugs.

Rescue teams initially ended their search near the village of Pedre, not far from Galicia's regional capital of Santiago de Compostela, on Christmas Day after finding six bodies.

But they resumed the operation after one surviving passenger said a friend she had been travelling with was not on the official list of victims.

The woman had not been reported missing as nobody had been waiting for her, a Guardia Civil police spokesman told AFP news agency.

Her body was spotted by a helicopter in the river on Monday morning.

Emergency services were first alerted about the incident by a passing driver who told them that a section of the bridge's safety barrier was missing.

Just minutes later, one of the survivors called them from inside the bus as it was fast filling with water.

This helped rescue teams to quickly locate the crash site.

Among those on board were people who had just visited loved ones at a prison in central Galicia, AFP added, quoting local media.

- BBC