Cuba

Bus accident with a German tourist in Cuba

In the South of the Caribbean state, a coach collided with German and Austrian tourists with a Truck. In the case of the collision of the Austrians and the bus driver were killed. Almost 30 people were injured.

The Bus was pushed close to the town of Jatibonico on the route between Santiago de Cuba and Trinidad with an oncoming truck, according to the newspaper “Escambray” reported. Apparently, the load touched the car with his trailer to a railway bridge. The Container of the Truck then crashed on the Bus.

In the report it is said that the coach had been damaged in the collision so hard that it is difficult to retrieve the Luggage and the documents of the occupants.

First reports of German casualties

One of the two dead is a Austrian tourists. The Austrian Embassy in Havana, confirmed in the meantime. The man should have been according to a report by the Cuban television, 64 years of age. The 37-year-old bus driver died in the accident.

Originally the victim had been in the media of a German death the speech. A total of 28 people were injured. The German Embassy in Havana trying with high pressure to detection, informed the Foreign office in Berlin.

Several injured still in the hospital

The injured were treated at a hospital in the city of Sancti Spíritus. Twelve tourists have been released by now. Three were injured still in critical condition, said the Deputy head of the clinic of the newspaper “Escambray”.

The tourists were on a round-trip of the operator Thomas Cook. The company regretted the accident and stated that staff would be in contact with the authorities, to the medical care of the injured.

Tourism is an important industry of Cuba. Nearly three million tourists visit the socialist Caribbean island each year. With the end of the ice age between Washington and Havana, it should be even more now.

gri/SC (dpa, afp, ape)