Canada: bus crash kills 15 people, mostly senior citizens

A bus carrying mostly seniors collided with a semi-trailer truck at a highway intersection in a rural part of the province of Manitoba on Thursday, killing 15 people and injuring 10 more, Canadian police said.

Rob Hill, Commanding Officer of the Manitoba Royal Canadian Mounted Police, said the bus was carrying 25 people and authorities in Manitoba were deploying all their resources to the scene. Ten people were taken to hospitals.

TV broadcasters aired images of what looked like a large van or bus smouldering in a ditch near a transport truck with a smashed engine on a road. The pavement was littered with debris — broken glass, a large bumper and what looked like a walking aid. Seven blue and yellow tarps were stretched out.

Ambulance helicopters have been dispatched to the scene from Winnipeg and Regina.

“The news from Carberry, Manitoba is incredibly tragic.” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted. “I'm sending my deepest condolences to those who lost loved ones today, and I'm keeping the injured in my thoughts. I cannot imagine the pain those affected are feeling – but Canadians are here for you.” Carberry is 170 kilometers (105 miles) west of Manitoba's capital Winnipeg.

The crash brought back memories of the 2018 bus crash in the neighbouring province of Saskatchewan that killed 16 people from the Humboldt Broncos minor league hockey team.