A 12-year-old girl from north Wales is recovering after being crushed and trapped beneath a bus that flipped while her family was on their first holiday abroad. Greta Williams sustained a fractured sacrum and pelvis when the vehicle lost control and overturned during an excursion in Alanya, Turkey, on 22 July. Her mother has since urged other holidaymakers to invest properly in travel insurance, highlighting how a £106 policy covered a €50,000 air ambulance flight that brought her daughter home for treatment.
Emma Williams, from Llanrug, was holidaying at Eftalia Ocean Hotel with her partner Len and daughters Greta and eight-year-old Eiry-ana. Seven days into their 10-day trip, the family joined an open-bus safari excursion through the Taurus Mountains with six other adults and five other children aboard. They had visited the Green Canyon for swimming before heading towards a waterfall and zoo when the incident occurred.
As the bus driver attempted to overtake another vehicle on the mountain road, he lost control and the bus descended downhill before flipping multiple times. The vehicle had no windows, and as it fell onto its side, Greta was caught halfway through an opening with the bus landing directly on her pelvis and hips while her legs and body remained inside.
Emma Williams described the immediate aftermath:
Half of the bus was actually on her pelvis and hips, but her legs and body were inside the bus. My partner was also through the window and he wanted to save my youngest daughter, so he was holding her up with all his strength. Everybody rushed to Greta's aid to flip the bus. I know you're not meant to do things like that really, but it was just human instinct to flip the bus over. She was a 12-year-old child stuck underneath.
Greta was freed within five minutes and transported by ambulance to Ozel Manavgat Eslem Hastenesi hospital alongside the driver. The ordeal proved traumatic for the entire family, with her younger sister screaming in panic.
It was extremely scary for her. They had to cut all her clothes away from her and she had to stay on a wooden board for 24 hours, and not be moved whatsoever,Williams recalled.
How did the family get home?
After eight days in hospital, Greta was repatriated to the UK by air ambulance on 30 July with her mother accompanying her. The family had chosen a superior travel insurance policy with unlimited medical care and unlimited medical repatriation coverage.
They [the pilots and medics] told me it cost €50,000 just for the flight. That was quite scary, £106 paid for that. Anything can happen.
Greta was admitted to The Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran for further treatment and was discharged on 3 August after physiotherapy to help her manage crutches and enforced bed rest. Jet2, which sold them the package holiday, waived the cost of changing Len and Eiry-ana's flights back to the UK. Communication with the Turkish hospital proved difficult, requiring assistance from a third party to navigate the process.
What is the recovery timeline?
Greta faces a six-month journey to full recovery from her injuries. She remained on strict bedrest with limited mobility, unable to walk extensively or engage in normal activities. An assessment scheduled for 2 September would determine whether she could return to school.
We can't do anything until that assessment. It's strict bedrest at the minute. She's not allowed to do much, she's not allowed to walk loads or do much which is a massive shame. Her friends have been fantastic.
Williams praised her daughter's resilience throughout the ordeal:
She was phenomenally strong. I'm so proud of how she coped.However, the psychological impact extended beyond physical recovery.
This is something that's going to haunt us forever. It's going to take a long time to get over it all.
How has the accident affected the family?
The crash has left lasting trauma on all three family members. Eiry-ana, who witnessed the incident, has been deeply affected by the experience.
You can see the accident has impacted them, and being in a foreign country has escalated their fears.Both daughters have expressed reluctance about future holidays.
They don't want to go on holiday ever again. We're going to try and take them somewhere - probably not on an excursion - to ease their mind. It was a one-off freak accident, and these things don't generally happen.
Williams emphasised the importance of processing the trauma once normality returned:
We need normality to hit first, as we're in the summer holidays, before we can process it properly.The family had initially planned to fill their holiday with positive experiences and memories, but the accident fundamentally altered their trip.
What do travel experts say about insurance?
Graeme Buck from the Association of British Travel Agents stressed the critical importance of comprehensive coverage:
While most holidays go ahead without any problems, accidents and unexpected events can happen, and the costs of medical treatment and getting home can be significant. Cheap isn't always the best, and it's important not to choose a policy based on price alone. Holidaymakers should check what their policy covers and make sure they have comprehensive cover that is appropriate for their trip, including any activities they plan to take part in, such as winter sports.
Emma Williams reinforced this message to other travellers:
It's worth paying that little bit extra [for insurance] even if you don't need it. It's for your peace of mind more than anything.
What is known about the excursion operator?
The excursion was organised through Tony Montana Excursions, which operates tours around the Antalya region. A spokesperson for the company stated that it acts as a booking agent for tours in the area and does not directly take part in the day's activities, suggesting the operator of the bus itself may be a separate entity. The company had not yet spoken to all parties involved at the time of its initial comment.
The crash occurred near Manavgat District, a major tourist destination known for ancient seaside cities and waterfalls. Another British family travelling in a nearby vehicle witnessed the accident, and the incident was part of a wider pattern of serious bus accidents across Turkey during the summer months, with multiple other overturns resulting in dozens of injuries.
What happens next?
Turkish authorities reportedly opened an investigation into the crash, though no public outcome had been announced at the time reporting on the incident. The operator indicated that further follow-up communication with all parties involved may occur as the investigation progresses.
Key Facts:
- Greta Williams, 12, sustained a fractured sacrum and pelvis when a bus overturned on 22 July during an excursion in Alanya, Turkey
- She was trapped beneath the bus for approximately five minutes before being freed by bystanders and transported to hospital
- Her family's £106 travel insurance policy covered a €50,000 air ambulance flight that repatriated her to the UK on 30 July
- She faces a six-month recovery period and was discharged from The Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran on 3 August
- The incident occurred as part of a wider pattern of serious bus accidents in Turkey during summer 2024
