Five people were killed and 40 others injured when a bus carrying Dutch tourists veered off the road and overturned in eastern Switzerland, police said on Friday.
The accident occurred at around 4.45pm local time on Thursday between the communities of Susch and Zernez in the canton of Graubünden.
According to police, the bus left the road in a roadworks zone before overturning. Five of the 45 adults on board were killed.
Three people sustained serious injuries, while a further 37 were taken to hospital with less serious injuries.
An investigation has been launched into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Driver among those injured
Police confirmed to AFP on Friday that the bus driver, a Dutch national, survived the crash and was among those injured.
The Dutch Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (ANVR) told the agency that the coach belonged to travel company Oad and that all of the passengers were from the Netherlands.
According to ANVR, the coach had left the Netherlands on Monday and was on a day trip to Switzerland from Austria when the accident occurred.
Oad said in a statement that it was “deeply shocked and devastated by the tragic accident”.
Crash occurred near Swiss National Park
Zernez is a gateway for visitors to the Swiss National Park, a vast Alpine nature reserve covering more than 100 square kilometres in the mountainous Engadine valley.
The area attracts visitors for its Alpine scenery and extensive network of hiking routes, particularly during the summer months.
