Bus accident in Italy leaves at least 21 dead

At least 21 people died, including two children, when a bus fell from a bridge in Mestre, Italy, near Venice, this Tuesday (3), in what was described as an “apocalyptic scene” by the city’s mayor, Luigi Brugnaro.

The bus was traveling from Venice to neighboring Marghera and was “full of people returning home from work”, the mayor told state media “RAI”.

“It completely left the road, flew off the bridge. It was a bus; it was a highway. We are in mourning,” she added. Brugnaro described the scene as “apocalyptic” in a post on a social network.

Francesco Martino, chief of staff at Venice City Hall, told CNN that 18 people were also injured in the accident and that authorities are still trying to determine what caused it.

The accident occurred on the viaduct of a road that runs from Mestre to Marghera and the A4 motorway, local media outlet “skytg24” reported.

“After the impact, the vehicle caught fire,” the fire department wrote in a post on social media.

Morris Ceron, general director of the Venice municipality, told “RAI” that the vehicle was heading towards a campsite. “Identification of the bodies is ongoing,” he said.

Among the injured are Ukrainian, French, Croatian and German citizens, Venice Mayor Michele Di Bari told “RAI”.

Tragedy of enormous proportions

While authorities try to determine the cause of the deadly accident, “RAI” reported that the 40-year-old bus driver, identified as Alberto Rizzotto, was among the dead. Traffic advisor, Renato Boraso, told the broadcaster that Rizzotto was a specialist and had years of experience in the role.

Luca Zaia, president of the Veneto region, classified the bus accident in northern Italy as “a tragedy of enormous proportions”.

He said the accident involved some minors and “the victims and injured are of various nationalities, not just Italians.”

More than 20 ambulances “were used and the Treviso air ambulance was also called to the scene,” he said, adding that the injured were transported to hospitals in “Mestre, Mirano, Padua and Treviso.”

Images from the scene showed rescuers near an overturned bus crumpled beneath a bridge.

The country’s president and prime minister expressed their condolences after the accident, as did other world leaders.

“I offer my deepest personal condolences and those of the Government for the serious accident that occurred in Mestre. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families and friends,” wrote Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on social media.

French President Emmanuel Macron said that “tonight’s thoughts are with the Italian people, with the families and loved ones of the victims of the terrible tragedy in Venice” on a social network.

“I am deeply saddened by the terrible bus accident in Mestre this evening. I offer my deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims at this sad time. I am close to you”, wrote the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, in a post on a social network.