Italian bus plunge kills 39 near Naples
Avellino ( Italy), July 29: A coach carrying pilgrims plunged off a motorway flyover near Naples in southern Italy, killing at least 39 people in one of the worst such accidents in Europe in recent years.
Local prosecutors on Monday launched an investigation into possible manslaughter over Sunday evening’s accident close to the town of Avellino, according to Italian media reports.
Rescuers were still battling to extract people from the manged wreckage of the coach.
The vehicle, carrying 48 people, had been travelling at high- speed when it crashed on a busy dual carriageway between Naples and Bari in an area Italian media described as an accident black spot.
It rammed several cars before plunging through a crash barrier and down a steep slope before coming to a stop on its side off the road about 50 km from Naples. “As of now, the death toll has risen to 39,” said transport minister Maurizio Lupi.
The driver was among the dead and about a dozen people were injured, including children. There were reports that some people in the dozen or so cars caught up in the chaos had also been hurt.
Prime Minister Enrico Letta, on a visit to Athens, said it was a “very sad time” for Italy and observed a minute’s silence in honour of the victims before addressing a conference in the Greek capital.