Cornwall coach crash: Two dead and 50 injured (13 May 2014)

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

One person has died and more than 50 people have been injured in a crash in Cornwall after a coach hit a hedge.

The vehicle was heading towards Looe between Sandplace and Widegates when it left the road.

Nine people are believed to have serious injuries, five are described as having serious but not life threatening injuries and 40 are walking wounded, South Western Ambulance Service said.

One person has been flown to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth.

Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust on Twitter: "We are receiving the more seriously injured from the collision in Looe; a small number, less than 10 currently."

Devon and Cornwall Police said most of the passengers were believed to be in their 60s or older and a major incident had been declared.

Those who are able to walk will be assessed by doctors at a nearby village hall.

A spokesman for the police said: "The collision has been declared a major incident and numerous emergency services are at the scene dealing with the collision.

"One person, a passenger, has died from injuries. There are no details on the sex or age of this person at this time."

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service said three crews had attended the crash.

Three air ambulances, two from Devon and one from Cornwall, were sent to the incident.

There are two search and rescue helicopters on the scene, one from RNAS Culdrose, near Helston in Cornwall, and one from RMB Chivenor, near Barnstaple in Devon.

The A387 at Morval has been closed to traffic.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Sadly, another person has died - an update, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Cornwall coach crash: Two people dead and 50 injured



Two people have died and more than 50 people have been injured in a crash in Cornwall when a coach hit a wall.

Eight people have been critically injured, police said. The vehicle was heading towards Looe between Sandplace and Widegates when it left the road.

Eleven people have been taken to hospital by air and land ambulance, police added. The force described the other passengers as "walking wounded".

The coach was on a day trip from Exmouth, in Devon, said the coach owner, Carmel Coaches which is based in Exeter. On its website the firm said: "Carmel Coaches extends our deepest sympathies to those involved in today's accident. We are co-operating with the authorities in the investigation of this tragic event."

Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust said on Twitter: "We are receiving the more seriously injured from the collision in Looe; a small number, less than 10 currently."

[LiskeardRich]

Spotlight have reported the driver is arrested and in custody on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

I drove the road on Sunday, and there is a sharp bend that suddenly appears on you, not helped by the Speed Limit being 60mph at the location.

[Chris from Nailsea]

My own sources confirm that the coach driver has been arrested.  However, that is something of a routine procedure in such cases, and I would not want anything to be read into that fact.

The coach was apparently diverted from the preferred route, due to the road still being closed after a previous landslip: see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-21929808

However, our thoughts are with the family and friends of the deceased in any such sad event. 

[ChrisB]

The coach was apparently diverted from the preferred route, due to the road still being closed after a previous landslip: see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-21929808

Any coach company worth their salt checks traffic info in advance & briefs their driver, so that should have come as no surprise. Unless coach was mechanically defective in some way, IMHO^▸ (in my humble opinion) can't see it being anything other than driver error.

[bobm]

While clearly stated as your opinion ChrisB, I think we should avoid speculation at this stage.  With other incidents in the past hindsight has proved that ideas put forward at the start of an investigation can prove to be wide of the mark.  Time will tell on this one.

[JayMac]

Update from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

The driver at the wheel of a coach that crashed in Cornwall killing two people has been released on police bail.

A 57-year-old driver from Exeter was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

The coach careered into a hedge and struck a wall on a steep hill at Morval, near Looe, on Tuesday.

Two women died and four passengers remain in Derriford Hospital in Plymouth. All 50 passengers were on an Age Concern trip from Exmouth.

Prayers for victims

One woman died at the scene while a second woman was pronounced dead on arrival at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth.

Passengers who were not seriously injured were assessed by medics at the scene before returning later to Exmouth to tearful reunions with relatives.

Enid Goldup, a passenger on the coach, said: "When we hit the trees at the side all the glass came in down the side. There was glass everywhere.

"The lady in the corner died, it was really horrible, it was terrible."

Father Trevor Smyth, from All Saints Church in Exmouth, said it was "desperately sad".

"There is great shock and sadness, obviously for the families of those who have died and those who are critically ill. Also, those who have been injured - but also for the coach driver, the coach firm and anybody connected with this." He added an evening Mass would be held at the church at 18:00 BST and "everyone will be praying for them".

A police spokesman said the coach driver, from Exeter, had been released on police bail until 11 August.

[LiskeardRich]

The coach was apparently diverted from the preferred route, due to the road still being closed after a previous landslip: see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-21929808

Any coach company worth their salt checks traffic info in advance & briefs their driver, so that should have come as no surprise. Unless coach was mechanically defective in some way, IMHO^▸ (in my humble opinion) can't see it being anything other than driver error.

Alternatively did he swerve to avoid another car, animal or person in the road to name a few, there are many possibilities.

[grahame]

Alternatively did he ...

The moderator team is indeed very mindful that there are numerous reasons why accidents can happen, and that it's not always what looks to be obvious at first.   Now that the investigations have been concluded, I can point to incidents at in the platform at Norwich, on the M5 near Taunton, and at a level crossing on the Newport to Shrewsbury line which all resulted in suggestions of fault against specific people which turned out to be incorrect.   We will alert members who post opinions early on of the risks they are taking in doing so, especially where those are new members who may not yet realise that effect their contributions may have on due process, and indeed on the individuals involved in the accident.   And where we feel it's the proper thing to do, we'll take further action such as (but not limited to ) removing those posts from view.

I think I'm just repeating what Bobm said there ...

[IndustryInsider]

I think I'm just repeating what Bobm said there ...

You are, but it needs saying again as certain posters seem unable to grasp the concept!

[JayMac]

Latest update from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Cornwall coach crash: Three still in hospital

Three people on a coach which crashed in Cornwall killing two women, are still in hospital a week later.

The vehicle hit a hedge and then struck a wall at Morval, near Looe on 13 May.

One person is in a critical condition and two are described as being stable by a Devon and Cornwall Police spokesman.

The 57-year-old driver from Exeter has been released on bail after being arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

All 50 passengers were on an Age Concern trip from Exmouth.

One woman died at the scene while a second woman was pronounced dead on arrival at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth.

Passengers who were not seriously injured were assessed by medics at the scene before returning to Exmouth.

[bobm]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page). (Note the information leading to the decision was gathered before the crash)

Coach crash company Carmel loses licence

Carmel Coaches runs a number of local bus routes including schools services

A Devon bus and coach company has lost its licence over safety concerns.

Carmel Coaches runs a number of local bus routes including schools services and private hire from bases in Northlew and Exeter.

Sarah Bell, Traffic Commissioner for the West of England, has made an order to revoke its licence and those of two of its directors from the end of July.

Issues included serious defects not being fixed and poor record keeping of safety issues over a number of years.

One of the company's vehicles was involved in a coach crash at Looe in Cornwall on 13 May in which two people died.

The commissioner had gathered her evidence before the crash and said that her decision did not reflect the incident.

She said there could be a number of reasons for the crash which was still being investigated.

A report by the traffic commissioner said that in March a number of Carmel coach drivers told inspectors about "many different defects" on its vehicles.

On 24 April two Carmel schools buses were stopped after a check by inspectors.

[trainer]

Oh dear!  They've only started a local bus service between Portishead and Clevedon on 2 June and they took over the interests of the defunct North Somerset Coaches.  A sad situation in lots of ways, it seems.

[LiskeardRich]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page). (Note the information leading to the decision was gathered before the crash)

Coach crash company Carmel loses licence

Carmel Coaches runs a number of local bus routes including schools services

A Devon bus and coach company has lost its licence over safety concerns.

Carmel Coaches runs a number of local bus routes including schools services and private hire from bases in Northlew and Exeter.

Sarah Bell, Traffic Commissioner for the West of England, has made an order to revoke its licence and those of two of its directors from the end of July.

Issues included serious defects not being fixed and poor record keeping of safety issues over a number of years.

One of the company's vehicles was involved in a coach crash at Looe in Cornwall on 13 May in which two people died.

The commissioner had gathered her evidence before the crash and said that her decision did not reflect the incident.

She said there could be a number of reasons for the crash which was still being investigated.

A report by the traffic commissioner said that in March a number of Carmel coach drivers told inspectors about "many different defects" on its vehicles.

On 24 April two Carmel schools buses were stopped after a check by inspectors.

VOSA had already confirmed that no defects were found by them with the vehicle involved in the Looe crash. The accident investigators also confirmed no defects found by them neither on that vehicle.

[JayMac]

VOSA had already confirmed that no defects were found by them with the vehicle involved in the Looe crash. The accident investigators also confirmed no defects found by them neither on that vehicle.

Can we have a source for this information? And do you mean DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) rather than VOSA (Vehicle and Operator Services Agency)? VOSA ceased to be on 31st March 2014, which was prior to the Looe incident.