A deadly bus crash in the tiny republic of Montenegro has claimed 18 lives, officials say.
16 Romanians were initially reported dead on Sunday after a bus slid off the road and plunged into a 160-foot deep ravine, but two more victims died of their injuries late last night, bringing the toll to 18.
26 other passengers were injured in the accident, and a young boy who was walking on the road was taken to a hospital for non-life threatening injuries after he was struck by the bus. Survivors say the driver was taking the steep roads too fast when they slid off the road; the area has been the site of many accidents along northern Montenegro towards Podgorica over the years, but this is the worst crash yet.
Weather conditions played a part in Sunday’s crash, as the roads were wet and slick. Romania sent military aircraft today and will deploy more tomorrow in order to pick up the survivors. For now, the wreckage of the bus remains in the ravine, but will likely be pulled out later today.
‘‘Unfortunately, we lost 18 people and that is a huge tragedy for Romania,’’ the health ministry official Arafat said.
