A Bus Crashed On BC's Highway 97C On Christmas Eve & Police Reported Multiple Deaths
More than 50 people were rushed to hospital.
A "road closed" sign is shown in winter.
A bus crashed on B.C.'s Highway 97C near Merritt on Christmas Eve, sending at least 53 people to area hospitals and forcing officials to close the route overnight.
The crash happened shortly after 7 p.m. near the Loon Lake exit on the Okanagan Connector, officials said.
Injured passengers were taken to hospitals in Kelowna, Penticton and Merritt, Global News reports.
Four passengers had been pronounced dead as of Sunday, BC RCMP told CTV News. The identities of the victims have not been released.
\u201c\u26d4 UPDATE - #BCHwy97C CLOSED between #AspenGrove, junction with #BCHwy5A and junction to #BCHwy97 to #Kelowna and #PeachlandBC. Assessment in progress. #Westbank #YLW \n\u2139\ufe0f For more info: https://t.co/hzT5Azme0V\u201d— DriveBC (@DriveBC) 1671938601
B.C. Premier David Eby described it as a "serious bus accident" in a statement on Christmas Eve, and Health Minister Adrian Dix says Interior Health has "initiated a code orange response." Code orange is typically declared at hospitals when a disaster or mass casualty event has happened.
The premier expressed his thoughts to the victims and their families, and B.C. Emergency Health Services has set up a hotline for relatives to locate their loved ones.
\u201cUPDATE: An information line has been set up for families to locate their loved ones involved in the accident on #Hwy97C Call operator can advise of patient locations for those in our care. Please call 250-545-2211 (operator will answer after the greeting)\u201d— Interior Health (@Interior Health) 1671960208
Authorities say the bus rolled over due to extremely icy road conditions.
The bus involved in the crash was operated by Ebus, Kelowna's Castanet News reports.
Ebus director John Stepovy told Castanet News that the company is working with the RCMP on the situation,.
Environment Canada issued a special weather statement for the Okanagan Connector on Saturday afternoon, warning that freezing rain could pose a danger to drivers. The weather agency warned of ice build-up "due to freezing rain," with the danger expected to last until at least early Monday.
The route along Highway 97C re-opened on Sunday morning.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.