83 injured in Catalan bus crash

At least 83 people were injured, including seven in critical condition, after a public transport bus plunged approximately 20 meters down an embankment in the town of Fogars de Montclús, near Barcelona, on Sunday afternoon. The collision occurred around 4:43 p.m. local time on the narrow, winding BV-5114 road. While no deaths had been confirmed as of late Sunday evening, Catalan authorities warned that fatalities could not be ruled out due to the difficult terrain. The bus, operated by the company Sagalés, fell into a ravine after colliding with a private car. Emergency services mobilized a massive response involving 23 ambulances, two medical helicopters, and roughly 30 fire crews, including mountain rescue specialists. The accident took place within the Montseny Natural Park area. According to local officials, the bus was traveling on route 573, which connects the Fogars de Montclús information center with Santa Fe del Montseny. The vehicle left the roadway for reasons currently under investigation before crashing down the steep slope. The road has remained closed to traffic by the Mossos d'Esquadra police force since the incident. An emergency reception center was established in Can Ramis, in the nearby town of Sant Celoni, to coordinate aid for those affected. Salvador Illa, the president of the Catalan regional government, stated on social media that he was following the incident with great concern. He expressed his support for the victims and gratitude to the emergency services. Health Minister Olga Pané provided detailed figures during a press briefing held at a restaurant named La Font de Cal Guardià, which served as the accident control center. She reported that of the 83 injured, 58 suffered minor wounds, 18 sustained less serious injuries, and seven were in grave condition. Four of the critically injured patients had already been transported to hospitals, while others were being moved as conditions allowed. Injured passengers were taken to several medical facilities, including the Hospital de Granollers, the Josep Trueta Hospital in Girona, and the Vall d'Hebron Hospital in Barcelona. One patient with less severe injuries was also transferred to Granollers. Fire Chief Inspector Santi Lleonart noted that the terrain at the crash site was extremely unstable and difficult to access. He explained that because of the topography, there was a possibility that some passengers might have been thrown far from the vehicle or even run over by the bus. Consequently, search operations would continue throughout the night to ensure no victims remained hidden in the undergrowth or beneath the wreckage. Lleonart indicated that the exact number of passengers aboard the bus was unknown. The vehicle functioned as a shuttle service between a campsite and Fogars de Montclús, making intermediate stops to pick up people without requiring tickets. Although the bus had seating capacity for either 63 or 65 people, depending on the specific report, the actual occupancy at the time of the crash could not be determined immediately. Some passengers managed to exit the vehicle on their own and climb back up to the road, while others were trapped inside and required evacuation by emergency teams. The bus operator, Sagalés, confirmed via social media that one of its vehicles on line 573 was involved in the accident. The company stated that it had been cooperating with emergency services and authorities since the beginning of the crisis. It emphasized that its primary focus was on the care of the affected passengers and the driver. The company pledged to provide all necessary information to help clarify the circumstances of the crash. Emergency procedures included the activation of the Procicat emergency plan for transportation accidents. In addition to the initial medical and firefighting units, three joint teams composed of health services and firefighters were deployed. Approximately thirty fire crew members, including specialists from the GRAE mountain rescue group, arrived at the scene. By later Sunday evening, more than sixty firefighters were working on-site on evacuation and distribution tasks. Authorities planned to use drones and personnel to scan a radius of 30 meters around the bus. Once the immediate area was secured, dogs would be introduced to conduct a final check for any missing persons. The recovery operation faced logistical challenges due to the steepness and instability of the slope. The bus had been temporarily stabilized on Sunday, but lifting the vehicle was scheduled for the morning hours. Officials stressed that the priority for the remainder of the night was to rule out further casualties. The cause of the initial collision between the bus and the car remains under active investigation. No official statement regarding the mechanical condition of the bus or the actions of the drivers had been released by the end of Sunday. The region’s health minister continued to monitor the situation, maintaining communication with relevant ministers for updates on the treatment of the injured.