Coach crash in Swiss Alps leaves multiple fatalities

Emergency responders at the scene of an accident involving a travel coach
Image source: Jon Duschletta/EPA/Shutterstock – the coach was carrying dozens of Dutch nationals

By Patrick Jackson

A tourist coach has crashed between Susch and Zernez in the Graubünden region, killing several people and leaving others injured.

During a day trip that began in the Netherlands Monday, the coach was on its way to Switzerland from Austria when it overturned along a narrow country road.

The accident has prompted a large rescue response: helicopters, ambulances and a team of specialised responders moved into the remote area within minutes of the first reports.

The coach’s passengers were almost all Dutch nationals; an estimate of about 48 people was confirmed by the General Dutch Association of Travel Companies on behalf of the tour operator OAD.

The association has not yet released a definitive casualty figure, but Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf has reported the situation remains fluid.

Images circulating on Swiss news sites show the coach rolled onto its side beside the road, surrounded by ambulances and rescue teams working tirelessly to assist the injured.

Nearby, the town of Zernez is the gateway to Switzerland’s National Park, a vast Alpine reserve that stretches more than 100 square kilometres across the Engadine valley.

Authorities are continuing their investigation into the cause of the crash while emergency services focus on clearing trapped passengers and securing the site.