Fifteen people have been confirmed killed and 10 others injured after a bus full of seniors was hit by a semi-trailer truck in Canada, police said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at the junction of two major roads near the city of Carberry in the central Manitoba province.
According to Assistant Commissioner of the Manitoba Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Rob Hill, the bus was carrying around 25 people, most of whom were senior citizens from and around the city of Dauphin. He said they were heading to a casino when the crash happened.
RCMP Superintendent Rob Lasson said a preliminary investigation had found that the bus had been hit by the truck when crossing lanes. Both drivers are alive and have been hospitalized, he stated.
“Answers will take some time, but I can assure you that the RCMP will get the answers,” Lasson told reporters.
Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson expressed condolences to the victims and their families. “My heart breaks hearing the news of the tragic accident near Carberry,” Stefanson wrote on Twitter.