2013 Podgorica bus crash
On June 23, 2013, 19 people, all Romanians, were killed and another 28 wounded in a bus crash near Podgorica in Montenegro.[2][3][4] The bus, a Neoplan Tourliner with registration plate number B 123 MMJ, skidded off the road, crashing into a ravine about 40 m below.[4] A local child who was on the road at the time of the accident was also injured, but not seriously.[4] The accident reportedly occurred around 5 to 6 pm[3][4] 30 km north of Podgorica, the capital and largest city of Montenegro.[2] There were about 50 people on board, all of them Romanian citizens.[2]
| 2013 Montenegro bus crash | |
|---|---|
 The route of the bus | |
| Details | |
| Date | June 23, 2013 ~17:30 local time |
| Location | near Morača Monastery, Kolašin Municipality, Montenegro Coordinates: 42.790199°N 19.3939°E |
| Operator | Gregory Tour |
| Incident type | Cliff plunge |
| Cause | Excessive speed during a rainstorm |
| Statistics | |
| Passengers | 47 |
| Deaths | 19[1] |
| Injured | 27 + 1 (pedestrian) |
The accident occurred during a rainstorm on a narrow road in mountainous terrain.[2] The exact cause of the accident is unknown.[3] The bus was carrying around 48 passengers, two drivers and a tourist guide, and was headed towards the Adriatic Sea.[4] Attempts to rescue the survivors were inhibited by the rocky terrain of the region.[4][2]
Montenegro's Interior Minister Raško Konjević described the crash as "an extremely serious accident".[2] Milo Đukanović, the Prime Minister of Montenegro, also visited the victims at the hospital, and expressed his condolences to the Romanian Ambassador to Montenegro.[4] The Serbian Government also offered medical assistance for the injured.[4]
Victor Ponta, the Prime Minister of Romania, announced a day of national mourning [5] for the date June 26. On the same day Montenegro also observed a day of national mourning in solidarity with Romania.
References
- "Tragedia din Muntenegru a mai făcut o victimă. Unul dintre pasagerii din autocarul groazei a murit ieri dimineaţă". Antena 3. 4 December 2013.
- "BBC News - Deadly bus plunge in Montenegro". Bbc.co.uk. 2013-04-09. Retrieved 2013-06-24.
- "RTCG - Radio Televizija Crne Gore - Nacionalni javni servis :: Hronika :: Autobus sletio u kanjon, 16 mrtvih". Rtcg.me. Retrieved 2013-06-24.
- "18 români au MURIT, iar 29 sunt răniţi în urma tragicului accident din Muntenegru. LISTA cu pacienţii români care sunt internaţi în spitalele din Podgoriţa". Antena3.ro. Retrieved 2013-06-24.
- The Washington Post