“An apocalyptic scene, there are no words,” Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro wrote on the social media platform X, adding that he declared a citywide state of mourning in memory of the victims.
Photos of the crash site showed the bus upside down, partly crushed and emitting a plume of smoke. Emergency responders, including firefighters, climbed into the overturned vehicle using ladders and shining flashlights, and carried away victims. Alarms blared and a helicopter flew overhead, videos from the scene showed.
“There are many deaths, too many,” one firefighter said while walking away from the crash scene, according to Corriere Del Veneto.
Un’immane tragedia ha colpito questa sera la nostra comunità.
Ho disposto da subito il lutto cittadino, in memoria delle numerose vittime che erano nell’autobus caduto.
Una scena apocalittica, non ci sono parole. pic.twitter.com/APnsQoPMkL— Luigi Brugnaro (@LuigiBrugnaro) October 3, 2023
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni tweeted her “deepest condolences” for the victims of the accident. She said she was in close contact with top officials in Venice.
Likewise, Italian President Sergio Mattarella called the mayor of Venice to express his condolences for “the very serious tragedy,” according to a statement on social media from the office of the president.
Though local media reported that the reason for Tuesday’s crash was unclear, the incident echoed the disastrous 2018 bridge collapse in Genoa that sent vehicles plunging nearly 150 feet during heavy rain, killing 43 people. That tragedy, caused by deteriorating infrastructure, led to a 200-meter section of the bridge breaking apart. Dozens of people, mostly executives and engineers responsible for the bridge’s upkeep, have since faced charges of manslaughter and undermining transport safety.