Six dead & 34 injured after camper van smashes into packed tourist bus in horror head-on crash in Italy

SIX people have been killed and at least 34 injured after a horror crash in a Brit holiday hotspot. A camper van smashed head-first into a tourist bus before colliding with three cars in Umbria, central Italy. Firefighters investigate the deadly road smash Credit: Vigili del fuoco The smashed windscreen of the tourist bus Credit: Vigili del fuoco The tragedy unfolded on Sunday evening when a motorhome suddenly careened into oncoming traffic on State Road 79 between Terni and Rieti. It smashed headfirst into a shuttlebus before being struck by three cars who failed to brake in time. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Harrowing photos show the front of the tour bus windows smashed and the front door ripped off while debris lies scattered across the highway. The impact was so powerful the camper van was completely destroyed, according to local media. Emergency services raced to the scene and several people with life-threatening injuries were airlifted to nearby hospitals. Six passengers are now in critical condition and two more suffered serious injuries. One child is believed to be among the wounded, reported Italian broadcaster RAI. Tourists on the bus had been travelling to the Marmore Falls – man-made waterfalls built by the Romans – while holidaymakers in the camper van had been returning from Terni. Most read in The Sun The highway was transformed into a scene of carnage Credit: Vigili del fuoco Two drivers and four passengers – two from the camper and two from the bus – were killed on impact, reported Italina paper Il Post. The victims have not yet been identified. Stefania Proietti, president of the Umbria region, said rescuers rushed in on an “unthinkable scene” which would haunt them for a long time. In a statement after the crash, she said: “It was a major emergency, catastrophic. We activated the appropriate protocol without hesitation, even before the paramedics had arrived on site. “I want to commend them for witnessing an unthinkable scene, as well as the injured and uninjured people who will carry these scenes in their hearts and minds for a long time. Our condolences go to the victims’ relatives.” Police have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident and blocked off the road to support survivors and clear the wreckage. The tragedy occurred on what locals call a “black weekend” for road accidents because it is the first weekend of the Italian summer holidays. At least 31 people have been killed in car crashes across Italy between Friday and Sunday, said road safety monitor Sapidata-Asaps Observatory. Among the victims are a 14-year-old girl and two 17-year-old boys. Comment now