Bus Flips Over on Vancouver Island Killing 2 Students and Injuring 17 Others

Ambulance waits outside a hospital.Stefan Wermuth/Reuters

Two university students died and 17 others were injured when a bus flipped over a Vancouver Island road in British Columbia on Sep. 13.

The bus, which was carrying 48 people, mostly students from the University of Victoria and a driver, crashed 25 miles from the city on a remote road, reported the Global News.

The Port Alberni Fire Department (PAFD) said that the accident, which was reported at 9:45 p.m. and first responders sent multiple resources to, resulted in two deaths.

“While many were saved there were two individuals who were pronounced [dead] on-scene,” said PAFD in a release on its Facebook page.

The bus was on its way to the Bamfield Marine Science Centre, a marine research station run by a cluster of universities, including the University of Victoria.

“They were southbound, went off-road right. Two are deceased,” Const. Doug Pennington with Central Vancouver Island Traffic Services told The Global News.

“The rest have been transported back to Port Alberni with various degrees of injuries,” he said.

The BC Health Emergency said out of the 17 injured and taken to the hospital, two were in critical condition, one was serious and the other 14 were in stable condition.

“Approx 30 more transported from the scene by bus,” it said in a message on Twitter.

Jamie Cassels, the President of the University of Victoria said in a statement that the University will not disclose the identity of the deceased and the injured students to protect their privacy.

“It is with profound sadness and deep regret that I inform you that two students have passed away as a result of a bus crash mid-Island on the way to the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre,” said Cassels.

The University is offering counseling and other support to the students and their families.

“Our heartfelt thoughts go out to the students’ families and loved ones, to whom we offer our sincerest condolences. We also grieve with those closest to these members of our campus community, including roommates, friends, classmates, and professors who were in contact with them during their time on campus,” said Cassels.

While the cause of the crash is under investigation, the company that operated the bus, Wilson’s Group, said in a statement on Saturday that the bus had recently undergone inspection and had passed all regulatory requirements, reported News 1130.

“The driver is an experienced driver, with driving training certification. He sustained non-life threatening injuries and has been released from the hospital,” said the bus company.