Bus plummets into river in St Petersburg leaving several dead (VIDEOS)

A passenger bus fell into a river in the Russian city of St Petersburg, killing at least seven people, the Investigative Committee has said.

According to the emergencies ministry, nine people have been recovered from the sunken vehicle, after a rescue operation which involved 69 personnel and 18 specialized equipment units.

The police said that there were “around 20 people” on board the bus at the moment of the accident. According to witnesses, some passengers were able to get out of the vehicle without assisstance.

The crash was recorded by CCTV cameras; footage shows the driver apparently losing control of the vehicle while making a turn. The bus is seen ramming several cars before breaking through a guardrail and falling into the Moyka River. The vehicle then almost fully submerges into the water.

St Petersburg’s transport committee has confirmed the incident, saying that the driver lost control of the bus, which led to the vehicle plummeting into the water from the Potseluev Bridge (Bridge of Kisses). 

According to law enforcement, the driver is being held at a police station; a criminal case has been launched against him.

Gazeta.ru has reported that according to preliminary data, the driver could have lost control of the vehicle due to sudden health issues.