Bus Plunges Down Embankment in Spain, Leaving Over 80 Injured
Emergency responders mobilized a massive rescue operation after a passenger bus veered off a mountain road in Fogars de Montclús, resulting in dozens of injuries.
A passenger bus crashed and plummeted down a 20-meter embankment on Sunday afternoon in the municipality of Fogars de Montclús, Spain, leaving a preliminary total of 83 people injured. The accident occurred on the BV-5114 highway, a winding mountain road located within the Montseny Natural Park in the province of Barcelona.
Emergency services received the alert at 4:43 p.m. local time, prompting an immediate and massive response from local authorities. The vehicle, belonging to the transport company Sagalés, was operating on the route connecting Fogars de Montclús with Santa Fe del Montseny when it left the roadway at kilometer 18.4.
Health authorities provided updated figures indicating that 58 passengers sustained mild injuries, 18 suffered less serious conditions, and at least seven individuals were hospitalized in serious condition. The most severely injured patients were transferred to three regional medical facilities, with the majority admitted to the Hospital de Granollers, while others were taken to the Josep Trueta Hospital in Girona and the Vall d'Hebron Hospital in Barcelona.
Despite the severity of the fall, many passengers managed to climb out of the wreckage on their own and walk back up to the road, a factor that authorities noted prevented a higher number of trapped victims. However, the complex terrain and steep slope complicated the extraction efforts, requiring rescuers to descend on foot using ropes.
The multi-agency rescue operation involved 30 fire units, including two aerial teams from the Generalitat firefighters, alongside 23 ambulances and two medicalized helicopters dispatched by the Medical Emergency System (SEM). Psychological support units were also deployed to assist affected passengers and reunite families at a reception center established by the Red Cross at Can Ramis in Sant Celoni.
Catalan Health Minister Olga Pané stated that authorities could not initially rule out potential fatalities as rescue teams completed their sweeps of the accident site to ensure no one remained trapped beneath the bus. Civil Protection activated the pre-alert phase of the Procicat emergency plan, while regional police closed the BV-5114 highway to secure the area for emergency vehicles and initiate an investigation into the cause of the crash.
Regional leaders closely monitored the unfolding situation, with Catalan President Salvador Illa expressing deep concern on social media and maintaining constant contact with interior and health officials. The incident has renewed local discussions regarding the infrastructure of mountain routes, highlighting the challenges of narrow roadways and limited passing areas within protected natural parks.