Tourist coach carrying 49 people involved in serious accident in north of Spain

There has been a serious accident on the access road to the popular Lagos de Covadonga lakes beauty spot in the north of Spain, after a coach carrying 49 tourists, around twenty of them children, plunged off the road, according to the Guardia Civil.

The accident happened this Mondat morning (31 July) above the section of the Mirador de la Reina viewpoint (on the CO-4 road). The vehicle was heading towards the Picos de Europa National Park.

Initial reports speak of two seriously injured individuals and a large number of people with injuries of varying degrees of seriousness. The two seriously injured have already been transferred, one by helicopter and the other by an intensive care ambulance from Arriondas.

As reported by the police, for reasons as yet unknown, the accident happened when the vehicle left the road on the right-hands side and then overturned. Witnesses said that the vehicle rolled over twice. At the moment, the vehicle is leaning on its side. According to initial reports, there were no fatalities, but there have been multiple injuries.

Police and ambulance crews rushed to the scene as well as a team on board the medical helicopter. The emergency deployment includes a field hospital, which will allow an 'in situ' assessment of the injured.

The President of the Principality of Asturias is following the incident with "enormous concern". Adrián Barbón said that "there is a possibly forty people are affected, most of them children. At the moment I can't say how serious the situation of the people is because the medical services are carrying out triage at the scene. All available personnel have been deployed, and all the necessary equipment is on the ground. The seriousness of the injuries is being assessed. It could have been a real tragedy. I have asked Gimena Llamedo and Conchita Saavedra, who will take up their respective posts tomorrow, as Vice-President and Minister of Health for regional government, to go to the scene to see if any further action needs to be taken."

The transport company ALSA has confirmed through a statement that “48 passengers were on board the bus and the driver. At the moment the reason that could have caused this rollover are unknown. The first information indicates that nine passengers have needed medical assistance, due to bruises and/or fractures, as well as the driver of the vehicle. ALSA said that, with 21 years of experience, the driver is a regular on the route. In addition, the vehicle is just over nine years old and "has all the documentation and technical revisions in order, with the last company revision passed on 3 July and the ITV vehicle inspection test on 8 March.