CANADIAN KILLED IN MEXICO BUS CRASH
Tour bus flipped over after driver ‘ lost control’
A Quebec mother of two vacationing with her family was among 12 people killed in Mexico’s state of Quintana Roo when a tour bus left the road and rolled over during an excursion to Mayan ruins on Tuesday.
Quintana Roo state prosecutors said a preliminary manslaughter investigation indicated the driver lost control of the bus and when he tried to get back on the narrow highway, the bus flipped, struck a tree and landed in vegetation along the roadside.
“Due to a lack of care the driver lost control of the bus’s steering to the right, leaving the asphalt,” state prosecutor Miguel Angel Pech Cen said at a news conference on Wednesday. He said evidence found at the scene indicated the driver was going too fast.
Mexican officials said eight Americans, two Swedes and a Mexican tour guide were the others killed in the crash.
The family of the Canadian victim have identified her as Stephanie Horwood of Gatineau, Que. Carole Pommet Reinthaler told The Canadian Press that her daughterin- law was in Mexico with her husband and their two daughters aged nine and 11. All three were injured.
The family had left for their first cruise last Thursday and expected to be back on Saturday.
Pommet Reinthaler says there will be two funeral services — one in Horwood’s native St. John’s, N. L., and the other in Gatineau.
Michelle Earle, who grew up with Horwood in St. John’s, said she has admired her friend for as long as she can remember.
“There’s honestly so much I can say about her but words would never do her justice,” Earle said. “She was an incredible person, full of life and love.”
Horwood was always proud of her roots and loved her family, husband and two daughters dearly, Earle said.
“She was the most genuine and loving person I’ve ever known.
“The world was sincerely better with her in it and I know I’m a better person having known her.”
Horwood would have turned 42 next week.
Pommet Reinthaler said it was her son who called from Mexico to break the news of the tragedy.
She told CTV News that Horwood suffered a serious head injury and died in an ambulance. The girls saw their mother covered by a blanket, she said.
Video images from the scene show the bus on its side in vegetation off the two- l ane highway. Some survivors could be seen lying on the pavement while others were able to walk.
Among the dead were a 78- year- old grandmother from Miami, her daughter and her 11- year- old grandson.
Haim Shababo of Fort Lauderdale said Wednesday that his mother- in- law, Fanya Shamis, was killed in the crash. “We are wait- ing for the bodies to come home,” he said.
Mexican officials said four Brazilians, four Americans and two Swedes had to be hospitalized. The two Swedes were transported to the United States for treatment. Seven other people were slightly injured.
The driver of the bus was also injured.
The bus was taking passengers, who were on a Royal Caribbean cruise, from the port in Mahahual to Mayan ruins at Chaccoben when it left the narrow highway and flipped over Tuesday morning.
Miami-based Royal Caribbean Cruises confirmed that 27 passengers from two of its cruise ships were on the bus.
“Our hearts go out to all those involved in the bus accident,” company spokeswoman Cynthia Martinez said. “We are doing all we can to care for our guests, including assisting with medical care and transportation.”
Chris Brawley, of Haslet, Texas, was on one of the two cruise ships that had passengers on the crashed bus, and he was en route to the ruins as well. He said his bus passed by the accident just minutes after it occurred, and he observed skid marks on the dry pavement.
Brawley said the ship he was sailing on, the Serenade of the Seas, sailed out of Mahahual on Tuesday around 5:30 p.m ., a couple hours after its scheduled departure. It was docked Wednesday up the coast in Cozumel.
“Captain informed us this morning one of our passengers passed overnight,” Brawley said.