Bus incident kills at least 29 tourists in Portugal

LISBON - At least 29 people, most of them German tourists, were killed and 27 others injured when their bus veered off a steep narrow road on the Portuguese island of Madeira, the Radio Pakistan reported.

The tourist bus was carrying 55 passengers and a tour guide in addition to the driver-overturned in a residential area in the coastal town of Canico.

It was reported that the driver lost control of the bus, carrying around 50 passengers, on a sloping road and the vehicle plunged down, overturning next to a house.

The injured tourists were taken to a hospital in Funchal, the capital city of Madeira.

The prime minister of Portugal Antonio Costa has sent a message of condolences to German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

https://twitter.com/antoniocostapm/status/1118609123778732033

Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said that “I express the sorrow and solidarity of all the Portuguese people in this tragic moment, and especially for the families of the victims who I have been told were all German."

He said that he would travel to Madeira overnight.

The regional protection service in Madeira confirmed 28 deaths in the accident that happened at 6:30 pm (1730 GMT), while hospital authorities said another woman succumbed to her injuries.

Meanwhile, Madeira’s regional government has declared three days of mourning.