Fatalities reported after bus carrying hockey team crashes

RCMP said Friday that officers were at the scene of a fatal collision involving a transport truck and a bus carrying a hockey team northeast of Saskatoon. Details on how many people are dead or injured have not been released.

The Nipawin Hawks of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League say the crash involved the team bus of the Humboldt Broncos.

Darren Opp, president of the Hawks, said a semi T-boned the players’ bus that was coming to play against their team.

“It’s a horrible accident, my God,” he said. “It’s very, very bad.”

Opp said the coaching staff and players from the Hawks are waiting to help.

“They are sitting in the church just waiting to hear any good news,” he said. “I’ve got 50 phone calls at least saying what do you want?

“There’s uncles and moms and dads waiting to hear whether their sons and nephews are OK.

“It’s terrible. It’s absolutely terrible.”

Pastor Jordan Gadsby at the Apostolic Church in Nipawin said more than a hundred people have gathered at the church – including parents and grandparents of the players who were on the bus.

“Lots of them are waiting for information,” he said. “Some of the families have gotten information and have gone to be with their kids. Some of them are waiting to hear if their kids are alive.”

Gadsby said they know there are multiple fatalities, but they haven’t heard how many.

The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League is a Junior ‘A’ hockey league under Hockey Canada, which is part of the Canadian Junior Hockey League.

It’s open to North Americanborn players between the age of 16 and 20.