A major rescue operation followed the crash on an Alpine road in the Engadine Valley.
SUSCH, SWITZERLAND
Several people have been killed and others injured after a tourist coach overturned between the villages of Susch and Zernez in the canton of Graubünden. Swiss authorities have not yet released a definitive number of casualties as emergency operations and victim identification continue.
The bus was reportedly carrying 48 passengers, most or all of them Dutch tourists. According to preliminary police information, the coach struck a roadside safety barrier before overturning. No other vehicles are currently believed to have been involved in the accident.
Five rescue helicopters, several ambulances, firefighters and police units were deployed to the scene. The mountainous location complicated access as emergency personnel treated survivors and transported injured passengers to hospitals.
The cause remains under investigation. Authorities have not determined whether mechanical failure, road conditions, driver error or another factor contributed to the crash. The identities of those killed will not be disclosed until their families have been notified.
The accident occurred on a route through the Engadine Valley, a mountainous region visited for its Alpine landscapes and proximity to the Swiss National Park. Investigators will now examine the vehicle, roadway and available operational records before reaching conclusions about responsibility.
Tragedy demands verified facts before it permits conclusions.