Fifteen people were killed and 10 others were injured when a bus carrying older adults collided with a semi-truck on a highway in Canada, officials said Thursday.
The bus was carrying 25 people from the city of Dauphin when the collision occurred at the intersection of the Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 5, about 128 miles west of Winnipeg, said Rob Hill, the commanding officer of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police division in Manitoba.
Ten people were hospitalized with injuries, Hill said. Their conditions weren’t immediately clear, and they weren’t publicly identified.
The drivers were among the survivors, said Rob Lasson, who leads the RCMP’s major crimes unit.
Lasson said the bus was traveling southbound on Highway 5 around 11:40 a.m. and had already crossed the westbound lanes of the Trans-Canada Highway when the semi struck it. Highway conditions appeared clear at the time, he said.
It wasn’t clear who had the right of way, Lasson said. He added that investigators were working to determine whether a crime had occurred.
Speaking to CTV News, witnesses described a horrific scene, with vehicles in flames and rescue personnel trying to save survivors.
“There was nothing left of the vehicle,” said Tracy Leitch, who was driving on the Trans-Canada Highway at the time. “I was almost in tears and almost had a panic attack. Like, I just felt really sick to my stomach.”
In a statement, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the crash "incredibly tragic" and offered condolences.
"I cannot imagine the pain those affected are feeling — but Canadians are here for you," he said.