British driver killed and dozens of tourists injured as coach careers off cliff in French Alps and explodes in fireball
Worldwide, Daily news | ankakh | April 17, 2013 15:58One Briton was killed and up to 18 others injured when a coach exploded in a fireball after crashing in the French Alps yesterday.
More than 50 UK nationals were on their way home from resorts around Alpe d’Huez when the coach veered off the road after suspected brake failure.
It smashed into rocks shortly after 2pm before bursting into flames seconds later as passengers leapt to escape. The British driver was killed in the crash.
A number of passengers escaped from the burning wreckage by jumping out of smashed windows, and at least four of the injured were in a serious condition, according to French authorities.
Two helicopters were scrambled to the scene and airlifted the more seriously injured to hospital in Grenoble, while firemen battled to put out the flames.
A local police spokesman said: ‘There was apparently a problem with the coach’s brakes. The driver seems to have lost control on a steep bend in the road and his vehicle crashed into rocks.’
He added it was a miracle so many had survived the crash, thought to have happened towards the bottom of a mountain.
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