5 dead and 40 injured after Dutch tour bus overturns in Swiss Alps

As of Friday, September 11, at least five people have been confirmed dead after a Dutch tour bus carrying 49 people, including the driver, overturned in eastern Switzerland, according to Watson.

The bus was carrying 48 Dutch passengers and one Dutch driver on a day trip from Austria when it crashed on Thursday afternoon. 

Dutch bus crashes in Graubünden

The accident occurred around 4.45pm between the Alpine villages of Susch and Zernez in the canton of Graubünden. The coach, owned by Hartemink from Eibergen, was travelling through an area with roadworks and narrow lanes when it struck a guardrail and slid onto its side.

An eyewitness driving in front of the coach reported hearing "a lot of noise" before seeing the vehicle overturned behind him. Preliminary statements from the travel association ANVR indicate the driver may have swerved to avoid a rock in the road.

Swiss police confirmed that among the 40 injured victims, three people sustained severe injuries, seven suffered moderate injuries and 30 received light injuries.

Emergency responders launched a massive rescue operation involving 13 ambulances and at least seven helicopters to transport the wounded to regional hospitals. Uninjured passengers, including Gelderland local council member Rob Mos, were questioned by police to assist with the timeline of events.

Swiss investigation opens

Travel agency Oad, which organised the tour, said it was "deeply shocked and devastated by the tragic bus accident" and that its thoughts were with those involved and their loved ones, as reported by Dutch news outlet AP.

Dutch travel industry association ANVR described the event as "terrible", reports AD, while Swiss President Guy Parmelin expressed on social media that he was "deeply shocked and dismayed", offering his "sincere condolences to the families of the deceased" and promising a "comprehensive and thorough investigation".

Emergency crews have recovered the bus from the site and reopened the road to traffic. Local prosecutors in Graubünden have opened an investigation alongside cantonal police to determine the exact cause of the crash.

A consular team led by the Dutch ambassador to Switzerland, along with a specialised medical triage team from Eurocross, has arrived in the region to support victims and coordinate assistance with local authorities.

This article originally appeared on IamExpat the Netherlands.