Several people died and others sustained injuries when a tourist bus carrying 48 Dutch passengers overturned in the Swiss Alps on Thursday. The fatal crash occurred between Susch and Zernez in Graubünden, prompting a large emergency response with rescue helicopters and local authorities securing the accident site.
Graubünden Cantonal Police Respond to Alpine Coach Crash
Emergency response teams were dispatched to the site of the accident involving a travel coach, police in the canton of Graubuenden said in a post on X. Emergency response teams rushed to eastern Switzerland after a travel coach overturned. The accident happened on Thursday in the mountainous Engadine valley, an area near the Swiss National Park.
Police in the canton of Graubünden confirmed the incident through social media posts, deploying rescue helicopters and ground crews to the scene. Pictures from the scene published by Swiss newspaper Blick showed a bus on its side surrounded by helicopters and emergency response vehicles. Local media footage showed the coach lying on its side just below the mountain road with surrounded by rescue workers.
Tour Operator Confirms 48 Passengers Aboard
The vehicle belonged to the Dutch tour operator OAD. A spokeswoman for the General Dutch Association of Travel Companies (ANVR), acting as spokesperson for tour operator OAD, said that a serious accident had taken place involving an OAD bus and that 48 passengers were on board, all Dutch nationals. A spokesperson for the General Dutch Association of Travel Companies (ANVR) confirmed the vehicle was carrying 48 passengers from the Netherlands.
“These are Dutch customers of OAD. We cannot yet say exactly how many people have been killed or injured”
Spokesperson, General Dutch Association of Travel Companies
Swiss police confirmed the casualties on the social media platform X though they have not yet disclosed the exact death toll, the victims’ identities or the cause of the accident. Authorities have not yet released the exact death toll, the identities of the victims, or the cause of the accident.
Emergency Helplines and Support Services
Cantonal authorities have established communication channels to assist families seeking information about relatives involved in the disaster. Law enforcement agencies urged concerned family members and consular representatives to utilize the official contact numbers provided for the incident.
A hotline is available for relatives and consulates regarding the coach accident in Susch,
police added in an additional X post. Police issued specific contact instructions, directing callers to Please contact the operations center of the Graubuenden Cantonal Police at 081 256 56 56.
Area Security and Investigation Status
The fatal accident took place between the communes of Susch and Zernez in the eastern canton of Graubunden. The crash site near Zernez is a popular entry point for the Swiss National Park, a vast Alpine reserve spanning over 100 square kilometers across the mountainous Engadine valley. Authorities are currently securing the area and providing medical support to the survivors.
While rescue operations and site clearance continue, Swiss police confirmed the casualties while noting that further investigative details regarding the cause of the accident remain pending.
