21 dead, many injured
Bus accident in Venice: Did the driver have a fainting spell? The public prosecutor begins an investigation
The wreckage of the crashed bus lies on the roof. The vehicle fell 15 meters from a bridge onto railway tracks and caught fire.
A day in Venice and then back to the mainland – that was the plan. But for 21 people, the trip to the lagoon city ends fatally. Their bus falls 15 meters from a bridge.
According to the responsible prefecture, a total of 21 people died, including a vacationer from Germany. There was initially no confirmation of this from the Foreign Office. At least five of the fatalities are said to come from Ukraine, others from France and Croatia. According to the prefecture, 15 people were injured during the night, several of them seriously.
No skid marks on the road
The hybrid-powered bus fell from the bridge around 7:45 p.m. onto a railway line underneath and then immediately caught fire. According to initial information, no skid marks were discovered on the road, which was interpreted as an indication that the driver had fainted. The condition of the approximately 70-year-old bridge should also be checked. The investigators are hoping that surveillance cameras that keep an eye on the traffic at the location will provide clarification. Rail traffic had to be interrupted for hours.
The vehicle was the shuttle bus for a campsite in the Marghera district. There were day-trippers on board who wanted to return from the old town to the mainland in the evening. The accident happened about three kilometers from the finish. The driver had several years of professional experience. “We were supposed to take the next bus. But it didn’t come. And then we heard it,” said young German tourists who were also at the campsite on television. “It’s a tragedy.”
Lower prices on the mainland
Many Venice tourists only come to the lagoon city for a few hours and then return to the mainland – by car, bus or train. The prices are lower there. Venice – one of the most famous holiday destinations in the world – receives more than five million visitors every year. During high season there are often more than 100,000 strangers in the city at the same time. From next year, the city plans to charge short visitors who do not stay overnight an entry fee of five euros on certain days.
There was initially no confirmation from the federal government about German victims on Tuesday evening. The Foreign Office in Berlin simply said: “Our embassy in Rome is involved and is in contact with the Italian authorities to clarify to what extent German nationals are affected.” Expressions of solidarity came from many countries. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) wrote in English on the online platform X, formerly Twitter: “My thoughts are with the victims, their families and friends.”
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was also dismayed. The mayor of Venice, Luigi Brugnaro, spoke of a “terrible tragedy”. “An apocalyptic scene, there are no words.” In the region, flags should fly at half-mast in front of all government buildings this Wednesday.