the essential
A serious bus accident took place on the afternoon of December 1st. At least three deaths have been reported. Very large resources have been deployed to take care of the fifteen injured people, 8 of whom are in absolute emergency.
The reminder of the facts
This Sunday, December 1, shortly after 5 p.m., a serious road accident occurred in the Pyrénées-Orientales on national road 320 towards the Col de Puymorens. Contacted by our colleagues from L'Indépendant, the mayor of Porté-Puymorens, the town where the accident occurred, Jean-Philippe Augé confirms “a very serious accident”. A 48-passenger bus is believed to be the only vehicle affected. It would be a Spanish coach which was transporting Colombian travelers. At present, it appears that he left the road and crashed into the cliff.
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The provisional assessment
The toll initially stood at two deaths before being increased to three by the Pyrénées-Orientales prefecture at 7:30 p.m. Eight injured in absolute emergency and seven in relative emergency, including a four-year-old child, were also to be deplored. The latter were urgently evacuated to nearby hospitals.
What are the means put in place?
The Pyrénées-Orientales departmental fire and rescue service (Sdis) is mobilized. At least 120 firefighters are on site. Firefighters from Ariège and Aude came to support them as did Bombers from Andorra and Catalonia. The police are also present. 18 soldiers from Prades, 5 motorcyclists, 3 members of the high mountain gendarmerie platoon and 2 people attached to the criminal identification unit are also responding on site.
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Two helicopters from Haute-Garonne and Ariège were also sent to supplement the civil security helicopters from Pyrénées-Orientales, Aude and Hérault already on site. The RN 320 was also closed by security measures in both directions between Ariège and the Pyrénées-Orientales.
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Finally, a psychological unit has already been activated to support the victims and their families.
