Ten people were also injured after the collision at the intersection of two highways in Manitoba.
Fifteen people were killed and 10 were injured after a bus carrying seniors collided with a semi-truck on a highway in Canada, officials said Thursday.
The bus was carrying 25 people from the city of Dauphin when the collision occurred at the intersection of the Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 5, roughly 128 miles west of Winnipeg, said Rob Hill, commanding officer of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police division in Manitoba.
Ten people were hospitalized with injuries after the crash, Hill said. Their conditions weren’t immediately clear and the victims were not identified.
The drivers were among the survivors, said Rob Lasson, who leads the RCMP’s department’s major crimes unit.
Lasson said the bus was traveling southbound on Highway 5 around 11:40 a.m. and had already crossed the westbound lanes of the Trans-Canada Highway when it was struck by the semi. Highway conditions appeared clear at the time, he said.
It wasn’t clear who had the right of way, Lasson said. He added that investigators were working to determine if a crime had occurred.
Speaking to CTV News, witnesses described a horrific scene, with vehicles in flames and rescue personnel trying to save survivors.
“There was nothing left of the vehicle,” said Tracy Leitch, who was driving on the Trans-Canada Highway at the time. “I was almost in tears and almost had a panic attack. Like I just felt really sick to my stomach.”
In a statement, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the crash “incredibly tragic” and offered condolences.
“I cannot imagine the pain those affected are feeling — but Canadians are here for you,” he said.