A British man has died and 27 people are in hospital after a tourist bus plunged into a ravine in the Canary Islands.
It is understood that all passengers are British, with four of those injured in a critical condition.
The bus crashed at around 2pm on the GM-2 highway near San Sebastian de La Gomera.
Emergency services, including helicopters, were in attendance at the scene and have transferred people to various hospitals across the islands.
Local officials said: “Emergency health services attended to the 28 occupants of the bus, 27 tourists of British nationality and the driver. One male deceased is confirmed and 27 injured of varying degrees of severity.”
A 73 and 42 year old man suffered severe injuries and were taken to hospitals in Tenerife.
Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper said: “My thoughts are with those affected by the tragic incident involving a bus carrying British holidaymakers in the Canary Islands. We are in touch with the local authorities & ready to support Brits & their families.”
La Gomera has a resident population of around 23,000 and is not a mainstream destination for British travellers. Unlike most of the Canary Islands, it has no international airport and any of the people who spend time there are hikers – especially British and German.
Key Points
- One dead and multiple people killed in bus crash
- What to know about La Gomera - The small isle in the Canary Islands
- Foreign office says its supporting family of British man who died in bus crash
- Helicopters transferring 'seriously injured' people to Tenerife
- Canary Islands government declares a state of emergency
What to know about La Gomera - The small isle in the Canary Islands
06:00 , Harriette BoucherThe Independent’s travel correspondent, Simon Calder, has provided background on La Gomera:
This was a horrific accident on a beautiful island. La Gomera is not a mainstream destination for British travellers. It’s a small and mountainous isle to the west of the biggest Canary Island, Tenerife. The resident population of around 23,000 compares with almost a million on Tenerife.
Unlike most of the Canary Islands, La Gomera has no international airport. Many of the people who spend time there are hikers – especially British and German.
But there are also day trips run from the big resorts at the south western end of Tenerife including Costa Adeje, Las Americas and Los Cristianos – which is the departure point from the ferry.
The voyage takes about an hour, and is followed by a coach tour of the scenic locations as well as a stop for lunch.
These trips have been operating for many years without incident. But inevitably in a location with narrow mountain roads, the risks are higher than in flat terrain.
How emergency services responded to the bus crash in La Gomera
04:00 , Harriette BoucherAfter a bus full of British tourists veered off the road on Friday, the Canary Islands emergency and security coordination centre received an alert informing them of the crash.
The emergency service said it activated the necessary emergency resources and deployed two medical helicopters, one medical ambulance, two basic life support ambulances, and two non-urgent health transport units.
Health services assessed those injured at the scene and transferred several of them to the hospital.
Red Cross and civil protection units were also in attendance and took those with less severe injuries to the hospital.
A 73 and 42 year old man were among those seriously injured in the deadly bus crash in La Gomera on Friday and were transferred to the island’s Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Hospital before being flown to the hospitals in Tenerife.
In pictures: Emergency service workers respond to deadly bus crash in La Gomera
02:00 , Harriette Boucher
Watch: Canary Islands Tourist Bus Crash
00:00 , Harriette BoucherPolice investigating whether brake failure is responsible for bus crash
22:10 , Harriette BoucherPolice investigating the bus crash in La Gomera suspect that a brake failure could have caused the coach to come off the road.
Juan Luis Navarro, the island director of the general state administration, told journalists that the driver detected a problem with braking and “tried to fight” it, local media reported.
The bus then came off the road and rolled down the slope, he said.
“Fortunately, it stopped before being thrown off the road. Otherwise it could have been much more serious.”
In pictures: Bus carrying British tourists crashes into ravine
21:35 , Harriette Boucher
What to know about La Gomera - The small isle in the Canary Islands
21:15 , Harriette BoucherThe Independent’s travel correspondent, Simon Calder, has provided background on La Gomera:
This was a horrific accident on a beautiful island. La Gomera is not a mainstream destination for British travellers. It’s a small and mountainous isle to the west of the biggest Canary Island, Tenerife. The resident population of around 23,000 compares with almost a million on Tenerife.
Unlike most of the Canary Islands, La Gomera has no international airport. Many of the people who spend time there are hikers – especially British and German.
But there are also day trips run from the big resorts at the south western end of Tenerife including Costa Adeje, Las Americas and Los Cristianos – which is the departure point from the ferry.
The voyage takes about an hour, and is followed by a coach tour of the scenic locations as well as a stop for lunch.
These trips have been operating for many years without incident. But inevitably in a location with narrow mountain roads, the risks are higher than in flat terrain.
Bus that crashed in La Gomera was taking Britons to airport, says tour operator
20:57 , Harriette BoucherThe British tourists involved in the deadly bus crash in La Gomera were on their way to the airport to return to the UK, tour operator Holiday Property Bond has said.
It is understood that all passengers on the bus were British, including the man who died.
Another four tourists are in serious condition and are being treated in hospital.
Foreign office says its supporting family of British man who died in bus crash
20:38 , Harriette BoucherThe UK government has confirmed the man who died in the bus crash in La Gomera on Friday was a British national.
It said it was supporting his family following the incident.
A foreign office spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who died in the bus accident in the Canary Islands and are in contact with the local authorities.”
Earlier, Yvette Cooper said: “My thoughts are with those affected by the tragic incident involving a bus carrying British holidaymakers in the Canary Islands.
“We are in touch with the local authorities & ready to support Brits & their families.”
UK government ready to support Britons involved in 'tragic incident', foreign secretary says
20:12 , Harriette BoucherYvette Cooper said the government is ready to support the British nationals involved in the bus crash in La Gomera.
“My thoughts are with those affected by the tragic incident involving a bus carrying British holidaymakers in the Canary Islands,” the foreign secretary wrote on X.
“We are in touch with the local authorities & ready to support Brits & their families.”
How emergency services responded to the bus crash in La Gomera
19:45 , Harriette BoucherAfter a bus full of British tourists veered off the road on Friday, the Canary Islands emergency and security coordination centre received an alert informing them of the crash.
The emergency service said it activated the necessary emergency resources and deployed two medical helicopters, one medical ambulance, two basic life support ambulances, and two non-urgent health transport units.
Health services assessed those injured at the scene and transferred several of them to the hospital.
Red Cross and civil protection units were also in attendance and took those with less severe injuries to the hospital.
A 73 and 42 year old man were among those seriously injured in the deadly bus crash in La Gomera on Friday and were transferred to the island’s Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Hospital before being flown to the hospitals in Tenerife.
In pictures: Emergency service workers attending the scene of deadly bus crash
19:25 , Harriette Boucher In pictures: Bus crashed on windy roads next to cliffside
18:45 , Harriette BoucherToday’s deadly bus crash took place on the windy road of the GM-2 highway near San Sebastian de La Gomera.
Images from the scene suggest that the bus had come off the road at a hairpin bend when it plunged into the ravine.
There appears to only be a wooden barrier between the winding road and steep cliffside.
UK embassy in Spain 'stands ready to support British nationals'
18:43 , Harriette BoucherThe British embassy in Madrid has said it is ready to support British nationals who have been affected by the “tragic” bus crash in La Gomera.
In a statement to Sky News, it said: “Our thoughts go out to those affected by this tragic incident.
“We are aware of the situation, and we stand ready to support British nationals.
“We are also in touch with local authorities on the ground.”
Two men, 73 and 42, were seriously injured in La Gomera bus crash, authorities say
18:18 , Harriette BoucherA 73 and 42 year old man were among those seriously injured in the deadly bus crash in La Gomera on Friday.
Authorities said the 73 year old man sustained multiple traumatic injuries and was transferred in an ambulance to the island’s Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Hospital before being flown to the University Hospital of the Canary Islands in a helicopter.
The 42 year old man also had severe injuries and was taken to the Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Hospital and then transferred to a separate hospital in Tenerife.
Another two seriously injured people were transferred to the Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Hospital along with 23 passengers.
Red Cross and civil protection units transported some of the injured to the hospital.
In pictures: Rescuers attend the scene of the deadly bus crash in La Gomera
18:05 , Harriette Boucher
Deadly bus crash took place in same location in La Gomera last year
17:58 , Harriette BoucherA public transport bus crashed last May in the same spot where the bus carrying British tourists crashed today in La Gomera.
According to local reports, a 73 year old woman died, and 11 other people were injured, when the bus veered off the road on the GM-2 main road near San Sebastián de La Gomera.
Emergency services at the time said the vehicle had been operating its regular route between Alajeró and San Sebastián when it overturned.
Like today’s crash, it prompted a major emergency response, which included ambulances and a helicopter.
Canary Islands Tourist Bus Crash
17:49 , Harriette BoucherMapped: Where did the bus carrying British tourists crash in La Gomera??
17:35 , Harriette BoucherCanary Islands president says his 'thoughts are with the victims and their families'
17:30 , Harriette BoucherFernando Clavijo, the president of Canary Islands has commented on today’s crash in La Gomera, saying his thoughts were with victims and their families.
What is La Gomera? The small isle in Canary Islands
17:22 , Harriette BoucherThe Independent’s travel correspondent, Simon Calder, has provided background on La Gomera:
This was a horrific accident on a beautiful island. La Gomera is not a mainstream destination for British travellers. It’s a small and mountainous isle to the west of the biggest Canary Island, Tenerife. The resident population of around 23,000 compares with almost a million on Tenerife.
Unlike most of the Canary Islands, La Gomera has no international airport. Many of the people who spend time there are hikers – especially British and German.
But there are also day trips run from the big resorts at the south western end of Tenerife including Costa Adeje, Las Americas and Los Cristianos – which is the departure point from the ferry.
The voyage takes about an hour, and is followed by a coach tour of the scenic locations as well as a stop for lunch.
These trips have been operating for many years without incident. But inevitably in a location with narrow mountain roads, the risks are higher than in flat terrain.
In pictures: Bus carrying British tourists plunges into ravine in La Gomera
17:13 , Harriette Boucher
Canary Islands government declares a state of emergency
17:07 , Harriette BoucherThe Canary Islands government has declared a state of emergency after a bus carrying British passengers plunged into a ravine in La Gomera.
Officials said: “The Government of the Canary Islands, through the Directorate General of Emergencies, has declared a state of alert due to a multiple-victim accident on La Gomera, effective from 2:00 PM today, Friday, April 10.
“This decision is based on the situation and in accordance with the Canary Islands Autonomous Community's Territorial Emergency Plan for Civil Protection.”
Helicopters transferring 'seriously injured' people to Tenerife
16:59 , Harriette BoucherTwo helicopters are transferring two “seriously injured” people to hospitals in Tenerife, Canary Islands emergency services said.
Another person is being transferred to the University Hospital of Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, while someone has been taken to the University Hospital of Canarias.
Pictured: Crash site of a tourist bus that veered off the road in San Sebastian de La Gomera
16:56 , Harriette Boucher Passenger killed in bus crash was a man
16:55 , Harriette BoucherA man has died after a bus crashed in San Sebastian de La Gomera in the Canary Islands.A post on the 112 Canarias official account said emergency services attended to 28 occupants of the bus, which included the driver and 27 British tourists.
One man was confirmed dead at the scene while three others suffered serious injuries.
The injured were transferred to the Hospital Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe.