A passenger coach transporting Dutch tourists overturned in the south-eastern Swiss Alps on Thursday afternoon, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries, according to local police.
The vehicle left the roadway between Susch and Zernez in the Graubünden region, also known as Grisons, late on Thursday. Emergency services mobilised a substantial rescue operation involving multiple helicopters and ground teams to reach the crash site.
The tour operator OAD confirmed that approximately 48 Dutch nationals were travelling on the bus. A spokeswoman for the General Dutch Association of Travel Companies stated that precise casualty figures could not be confirmed at the time of the initial reports.
Photographs published by Swiss media outlets depicted the coach resting on its side beside a narrow mountain road, with numerous ambulances and rescue personnel visible at the location.
Journey and timeline
The coach had departed from the Netherlands on Monday and was undertaking a day excursion to Switzerland from Austria when the incident occurred. The timing and circumstances of the crash remain under investigation.
Official response
Swiss President Guy Parmelin responded to the incident through a post on X, stating he was
deeply shockedby the event and extending
sincere condolences to the families of the victims. Parmelin indicated that authorities would conduct a
comprehensiveinvestigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Location context
Zernez serves as the principal access point for the Swiss National Park, a protected Alpine region encompassing more than 100 square kilometres across the Engadine valley's mountainous terrain. The area's challenging geography and narrow roads are characteristic of the region where the crash took place.
