Local authorities: Russians not among victims in bus accident in France

A Russian citizen, who was in the bus, which got in an accident in France’s Aude Department, received only minor injuries, the local prefecture said. On the bus, were 44 passengers, the source said. “We have not finalised yet identifying citizenship of all the passengers, but as of now only one passenger has told us he came from Russia. This person received only minor injuries, nothing threatens the life,” the prefecture’s representative said, adding most passengers came from France and Spain. “There are no Russians among the victims, either, we know this for sure.” The accident happened early in the morning in southern France not far from Fitou, Aude Department, at a highway connecting Marseilles and north-eastern Spain. For unannounced reasons, a bus, which belongs to the Eurolines Company, lost control and fell sideways on the roadway; then it slid down the five-meter high embankment. On board the bus were 44 passengers and three drivers - a French, a Spanish and a Ukrainian. At night, 150 rescuers were working at the site. The operation featured four helicopters and 20 ambulance vehicles. The police say the victims are a woman from Spain and a man from France. “However, we cannot rule out bodies of other victims may be under the bus, which is lying on its side,” the police said. “We have not managed to lift the bus yet.”