ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA – A catastrophic incident occurred in St. Petersburg when a passenger bus strayed off course and dived into the Moika River, leaving at least three individuals dead. Further accounts from local news highlight the fact that while the bus careened across the opposite traffic lane, it began crashing into vehicles before breaking through the bridge’s restraints and plummeting into the river.
The impact of the accident was so severe that the bus, numbered 262, was almost entirely submerged, barely leaving the roof above the water’s surface until crane operators managed to remove the wreckage hours later.
First responders and emergency services arrived promptly at the site, saving nine individuals from the chilling waters. Tragically, three of the rescued passengers succumbed to their injuries. Furthermore, four other survivors are reportedly critically injured, while two remain in serious condition. Miraculously, six passengers managed to escape the ordeal without significant external assistance.
Authorities arrested the bus driver for further questioning. Meanwhile, ordinary citizens displayed extraordinary courage, diving into the river and assisting the emergency crew in rescuing passengers from the ill-fated bus.
The owner of the bus has a history of 23 fines for different infractions within St. Petersburg, a city where most bus services are privately operated. The driver’s spouse alleged that his employers had forced him to work the morning after a 20-hour shift.
Following the incident, law enforcement has launched a criminal investigation into potential traffic violations and dubious transport services. St. Petersburg’s governor, Alexander Beglov, ensures that he is personally overseeing a comprehensive response operation and that immediate aid is being distributed to the accident’s victims. The cause of the incident, believed to have occurred along a route from Bolshaya Morskaya Street to Potseluev Bridge, is currently under extensive review.