Seven people still receiving care in hospital after doubledecker bus crash

Parliament yesterday stood united in offering their condolences and their sympathy to the victims of Monday’s double-decker bus crash and to their family and friends.

The open-top bus smashed into a tree on Valletta Road, Żurrieq.

Health Minister Chris Fearne, Transport Minister Ian Borg, Opposition leader Adrian Delia, PN deputy leader Robert Arrigo, and MPs Toni Bezzina and Godfrey Farrugia all expressed their sympathy, while also praising the emergency and health services for the handling of the accident.

Fearne, who explained that he could not reveal every detail – given that the case is now under a magisterial inquiry (headed by duty Magistrate Monica Vella) – said that emergency services were called to the scene at 4.15 pm. He said that seven people were still receiving care at Mater Dei Hospital yesterday evening.

Initially, he said, two ambulances had been sent out, but another four were then dispatched as emergency doctors declared the incident to be a major one.

Walter Busuttil, medical director at Mater Dei Hospital,

told the media that most of the injuries were to the head, neck and upper extremities.

Two people, a 37-year-old Spanish woman and a 62-yearold Belgian man, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Fifty people were left injured in the accident, with four suffering critical injuries, including two children aged six and eight. One of the children remains in critical condition.

Two major operations have taken place on two British men, aged 21.

Nineteen of the 50 people were treated at the Health Care Centre in Paola, while 31 were taken to Mater Dei Hospital. A total of 12 children were injured in the accident.

When speaking, Minister Borg said that the driver and vehicle held all necessary licences and certification.

The driver of the double-decker, aged 24, was this morning called in by the police for questioning.

The man had reportedly been on his first day on the job after working for the same company for some weeks last summer.

The outpatients block at Mater Dei was being used as a centre for the loved ones of the victims of the accident, he said.

The government has also offered to assist with flight and lodging expenses for any person who need to extend their stay in Malta due to the accident.

Opposition leader Adrian Delia stressed that when such tragedies occurred, Malta needed to be united and work to help those in need. “This kind of incident, particularly when involving tourists, takes an international light. There are also minors involved.” He said that Malta had an obligation to show that the country, with a history in nursing, was capable of taking care of those injured. He said that in such situations, Malta was not divided in terms of there being a government and an opposition.

A spokesman for City Sightseeing, operators of the service, has said since the accident: “We are shocked and saddened to learn that a vehicle operated by our Maltese franchise holder has been involved in a serious accident.”