26 people dead, 12 injured in western Ukraine bus accident
The crash, involving a Setra bus, a Mercedes-Benz Vito van, and a fuel truck, was caused due to a collision of the van with the fuel truck, the Ministry believes. The Ministry says that the driver of the Mercedes-Benz Vito was maneuvering to overtake another vehicle and drove into the oncoming lane, where it collided with the fuel truck. The bus’ involvement has not yet been clarified.
Read also: Russian special services busted in Odesa while planning riots on May 2
24 passengers from the Setra, and the drivers of the van and the bus, all perished. 11 others, and the driver of the fuel truck, sustained injuries.
The Setra bus had a total complement of 34 passengers and was bound for Poland, carrying passengers between the ages of 17 and 69. The youngest passenger would have turned 18 on May 12, and the passengers were from a variety of oblasts - Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, and Khmelnytskyi.
Read also: US charge d’affairs Kristina Kvien: I believe Ukraine will win
Emergency services continue to work at the site of the accident. Authorities are identifying the victims, but the personal data of three of the people involved has yet to be established.
The flow of traffic in the area has been completely restored.
Law enforcement authorities have launched a pre-trial investigation into the accident over the violation of traffic safety rules.
Read also: Russian invaders deport almost 200,000 children from Ukraine, Russian MoD says
The accident occurred on the evening of May 3 on the Kyiv-Chop highway near the village of Sytne, Dubny district, Rivne Oblast in western Ukraine.
