British tourist dies and 14 injured in bus crash

A coach carrying the driver and 27 British tourists being transferred from their holiday accommodation in Playa de Santiago to the ferry in San Sebastian de La Gomera crashed yesterday just about 4 kms from its destination and only a few hundred yards above the location of another fatal bus crash in May last year.

One British tourist died in yesterday's crash, three are in a serious condition and a further 11 suffered minor injuries. The three most seriously injured have been transferred by helicopter to the university hospital in Tenerife, the others are being treated in La Gomera's hospital. It has been confirmed that the most seriously injured victim is the driver who remains in a critical condition.

The crash happened at around 1 pm and it has been reported that the Guardia Civil police suspect a brake failure on the steep serpentine mountain road which has lots of sharp bends and that the driver's actions prevented a much worse outcome, but further investigations are ongoing. The British Foreign Office is supporting the victims and their families while all victims are receiving psychological support provided by local authorities.

(images from official Canary Islands government 112 emergencies X account)

Fatal bus crash on mountain road

Image source: diariodeavisos

A major accident on the GM-2 main road about 3 km outside San Sebastián de La Gomera yesterday morning left a 73-year-old woman dead and 11 other people injured, some seriously, when a public transport bus with 20 people on board overturned.

The crash happened at around 8:30am, when the bus veered off the road and tumbled down a slope. The authorities stated that the vehicle was operating the regular route between Alajeró in La Gomera's south and the capital San Sebastián de La Gomera when it left one part of the roadway and overturned onto a lower part of the same mountain road near and below the large statue of Christ overlooking the capital.

Scene of the accident seen from the upper part of the road. Image source: diariodeavisos

The alarm was raised at 8:42am, initiating a major emergency response involving ambulances, a rescue helicopter, police, civil defence, etc. According to the Canary Islands’ Emergency Coordination Centre (CECOES), all those injured were taken to Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe hospital, but one critically injured was later transferred by helicopter to Tenerife's main hospital.

The cause of the accident is being investigated by a team of specialists from Tenerife.

Despite La Gomera's winding and often precipitous roads such accidents are thankfully very rare, but in January 2018 another bus crashed and overturned (click to read post).

Bus overturns: Several people injured (Updated)

The overturned coach. Image: twitter.com/112canarias

A serious accident occurred at around 10:30 am this morning when an excursion coach with about 20 passengers. overturned on a very winding and narrow minor road near the hamlet of Argoyada in the muninicpal district of Alajero in La Gomera's south. Several people were injured, two of them seriously, The cause of the accident is not known yet. Weather conditions were poor with strong and very gusty winds and some fog and drizzle. The passengers were said to be tourists on their way to begin a hiking tour. The two seriously injured are woman of 67 with back injuries and an over 70 years old male with serious fractures, including a fractured skull. 

UPDATE: 

As promised earlier here's my update: Most of the passengers got away with a shock or minor injuries and had all been taken to the nearest health centre before going home. The few more seriously affected are being treated and are 'comfortably in hospital'.

As I've got some 'inside information', and as the driver is known to me and the tour guide is a friend of mine, I'll better refrain from commenting further on the accident. 

However, I feel that it must be stated that thanks to the driver's actions a disaster was prevented and that both driver and guide acted in an exemplary fashion at all times. Thankfully serious road accidents are extremely rare here, and La Gomera's drivers are some of the best in the world.

Scene of the bus crash. Note the sheer drop to the left of the overturned bus. Image: gomertoday.com

Roadworks progressing

The widening of the twisty stretch of main road to Valle Gran Rey just before arriving at the first houses of Arure village after leaving the national park, which is had been very narrow and dangerous, is progressing well. The major roadworks are ahead of schedule and the new road section should be finished early next year. However, until then you can expect delays at times during working hours as heavy machinery is at work. If you wanted to avoid this road you could take the minor and even more twisty road through Las Hayas. More...

Road improvements near Arure

The village of Arure  (Archive)

The main road which leads through the mountain village of Arure and on to Valle Gran Rey is to be improved very soon. There is a stretch of road just before arriving at the first houses of Arure after leaving the national park which is currently very narrow with lots of dangerous bends where trucks and buses going in opposite directions can't even pass each other, often leading to delays and minor accidents. The added complication in this mountain area at about 3.000 ft altitude is the often reduced visibility due to mist and fog.

Now this length of road of about 1.300 metres is to be widened and the worst bends will be straightened to improve road safety. The government of the Canary Islands will spend 1,5 million Euros on the project and has already put the works out to tender with a stipulated time for execution of nine months. The sensitive environment so close to the national park will be respected by sticking as much as possible to the existing route and any palm trees that are in the way will be replanted close by. The works are badly needed on this busy road which is the main artery supplying Valle Gran Rey, the second most populous municipal area of La Gomera and the most visited by tourists.