Five Killed and Dozens Injured After Tour Bus Overturns in Swiss Alps

Five people were killed and 40 others injured after a tour bus carrying Dutch travelers overturned on a mountain road in the Swiss Alps, authorities said.

The deadly crash happened Thursday afternoon, Sept. 10, between the villages of Zernez and Susch in Switzerland’s eastern Graubünden region.

The bus was traveling from Zernez toward Susch when it left the road in a construction zone, struck a roadside barrier and overturned onto its side around 4:45 p.m. local time. No other vehicles are believed to have been involved.

Authorities said five people died in the crash.

Another 40 people were injured, including three who suffered serious injuries. Seven others were reported to have moderately serious injuries, while 30 suffered minor injuries.

The bus was carrying a Dutch tour group through one of Switzerland’s most scenic Alpine regions.

Emergency crews rushed to the wreck, deploying seven rescue helicopters and 13 ambulances to transport the injured to nearby hospitals.

One possible explanation for the crash emerged from Frank Radstake, director of the Dutch travel industry association ANVR.

Radstake said the driver may have been forced to make a sudden evasive maneuver because of a boulder in the roadway.

“The bus driver had to make an evasive manoeuvre, possibly because of a boulder on the road,” Radstake told RTL Nieuws.

He said the bus then tipped onto its side and slid down the slope.

However, Swiss police have not confirmed that account, and the official cause of the crash remains under investigation.

The tour was organized by Dutch travel company Oad. The group had left the Netherlands earlier in the week on a multi-day trip that included Austria and a day excursion into Switzerland.

The crash happened near Zernez, a popular gateway to the Swiss National Park in the Engadine Valley.

The park, Switzerland’s only national park and the oldest protected reserve in the Alps, stretches across more than 40 square miles and draws visitors looking to explore the mountainous region.

Swiss President Guy Parmelin said he was “deeply shocked and dismayed” by the tragedy.

“At this painful time, my thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones,” Parmelin said.

He offered condolences to the families of those killed and thanked the emergency crews who responded.

Parmelin also promised that Swiss authorities would conduct a “comprehensive and thorough investigation” to determine exactly what caused the crash.

The Dutch Foreign Ministry said it was working with Swiss officials, the tour operator and emergency assistance services to provide help to those affected.

Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima also expressed their condolences to the victims and their families following the tragedy.

Authorities have not publicly released the identities of those killed.