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CatastropheFrance

France: Bus crashes near ski resort, killing 2

December 1, 2024

The crash near the Porte-Puymorens ski resort also injured several. The bus ran into a cliff, initial investigations revealed.

https://p.dw.com/p/4ncxu
Firefighters, ambulance crew and police operating around the damaged Spanish bus involved in the accident in Porte-Puymorens, southern France on December 1, 2024.
The exact circumstances of the crash still remain unclearImage: AFP

A bus carrying 46 passengers and a driver crashed near a ski resort in the southern French Pyrenees on Sunday, killing two people and injuring several others.

The Spanish bus originated from L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, outside Barcelona, Spain, Catalonia's emergency services said on X, formerly Twitter.

What do we know about the crash?

The bus crashed near the Porte-Puymorens ski resort, the regional administration said. Over a dozen were injured, with seven in critical condition.

Four rescue helicopters were deployed to the site of the crash, with over 120 individuals involved in the rescue effort, including from Spain's Catalonia and Andorra.

French emergency services parking on the makeshift command post in Porte-Puymorens, southern France, on December 1, 2024.
Rescue helicopters were deployed as ambulances struggled to reach the site of the crashImage: Jean-Christophe MILHET/AFP

Ambulances struggled to make their way due to the winding road to the ski resort.

Initial investigation revealed the bus had run into a cliff, local authorities said. The exact circumstances of the crash still remain unclear.

A holiday center nearby in Porte-Puymorens was opened to house the surviving passengers, as the local resort was yet to open, pending snowfall.

rmt/wd (AFP, AP)