JANUARY 27, 2008 - F
CanWest News Service
One Dead, Others Critically Injured In Alberta Bus Crash
EDSON, Alta. - A chartered bus ran into the back of a truck in blizzard conditions near Edson, Alta., early Sunday morning killing the bus driver and leaving several others injured. The passengers - many of them children - were members of the Sung Lee
Taekwondo club from Edmonton, and were on their way to a ski trip in Jasper. The driver died at the scene of the crash at Highway 16 and Niton Junction, about 150 kilometres west of Edmonton, RCMP said. Four people injured in the crash were being flown to Edmonton hospitals Sunday afternoon, Capital Health confirmed. One person, taken to Edmonton's University hospital, was in critical condition. Two people were in stable condition and one person was being flown to the Royal Alexandra hospital in serious condition.
The identity and age of the driver has not been released.
The bus involved is owned by Golden Arrow School Buses and Charter Services, however the company is declining comment as the RCMP continues to investigate. Fifteen crash victims were taken to Edson and District Hospital, says facility manager Lana Hataley.
Another 22 people, who did not need medical attention, were taken to an Edson-area hotel as family members were contacted.
RCMP Const. Dion Barry says it appears the bus rear-ended the truck. Road conditions were poor at the time of the accident. STARS air ambulance spokesman Bart Goemans says a flight crew was dispatched out of Edmonton this morning to pick up patients from the Edson hospital, however poor visibility made the crew turn back. "The weather is always a primary safety concern for every mission," for crew members and patients, he said. He added the crew was told the patients were not immediately critical.
The Alberta Motor Association was warning drivers off most major northern Alberta highways Sunday due to poor weather.
**NOTE** On the television broadcast it showed the load was a long load that had a trail vehicle with it.
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