6 dead, 2 rescued after bus plunges into Spanish river

(Update 4: Upgrades death toll)

Pontevedra, Spain, Dec 25 (EFE).- Six people have died and two survived after a bus plunged into a river in northwest Spain on Christmas Eve, emergency services said Sunday as rescue teams concluded their search for missing people.

The driver of the bus and a passenger were rescued from the site and taken to hospital late Saturday following the crash. Rescuers confirmed the discovery of two bodies that same night before suspending the operation due to adverse conditions.

Four more fatalities were confirmed over the course of Sunday after operations resumed. All of the bodies belonged to passengers, one of which was located inside the vehicle while the rest were found in the river.

The vehicle, which belongs to the company Monbus and was en route to Pontevedra, in Spain’s Galicia region, veered off a bridge and plummeted 75 meters (246 feet) into the Lérez river late Saturday.

The accident occurred soon after 9pm and authorities were first alerted by a passerby who saw the destroyed railing on the side of the road, but who did not locate a vehicle in the water.

Minutes later, someone from inside the bus phoned the emergency services, which allowed the rescue operation to get underway with more accurate details. EFE

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