Madrid, DEC 26, (dpa/GNA) – At least six people were killed in a bus accident in Galicia, in the north-west of Spain on Christmas Eve.
After the vehicle fell into the Lérez river late on Saturday night, it was still unclear on Sunday whether one passenger was still missing, according to the Spanish emergency services.
The driver, 63, and a female passenger had been recovered alive, shortly after the accident on Saturday. Two bodies were recovered on Saturday, the remaining four in the course of Sunday, according to the emergency services.
Initially, no information was given on the identity of the fatalities. The cause of the accident was also still unclear.
The bus was travelling on the N-541 road from Vigo to Lugo with nine people on board, when it plunged off a bridge about 40 metres into the river near the town of Pedre, at around 9:30 pm (2030 GMT).
According to various reports, there were a total of eight or nine people on board. The emergency service spoke of a total of eight occupants, but the media reported nine, citing eyewitnesses.
The rescue and recovery work proved very difficult on Sunday night, spokespeople for the police, the fire brigade and the regional government emphasized.
The bus was in a difficult-to-access location after the fall, and was almost completely covered by water, they said. Rescue teams had to rappel down from the bridge to reach the vehicle.
The operation continued to be hampered on Sunday, by the strong current and bad weather with lots of rain, it said.
GNA