Multiple dead as Dutch tour bus with 49 on board crashes in Swiss Alps

As of Friday morning, at least five people are confirmed dead after a Dutch tour bus carrying 49 people, including the driver, overturned in eastern Switzerland, according to reporting by NOS.

The bus was carrying 48 Dutch passengers and one Dutch driver on a day excursion from Austria when it crashed on Thursday afternoon. Swiss authorities noted casualty numbers could still develop as victim identification efforts continue.

Details of the Dutch bus crash in Switzerland

The accident occurred around 4.45pm between the Alpine villages of Susch and Zernez in the canton of Graubünden. The coach, owned by company Hartemink from Eibergen, was travelling through a roadworks area with narrowed lanes when it struck a guardrail and slid onto its side.

An eyewitness driving in front of the coach reported hearing "a lot of noise" before seeing the vehicle overturned behind him. Preliminary statements from travel association ANVR indicate the driver may have swerved to avoid a rock in the road.

Swiss police confirmed that among the 40 injured victims, three people sustained severe injuries, seven suffered moderate injuries, and 30 received light injuries.

Emergency responders launched a massive rescue operation involving 13 ambulances and at least seven helicopters to transport the wounded to regional hospitals. Uninjured passengers, including Gelderland local council member Rob Mos, were questioned by police to assist with the timeline of events.

Official reactions and Netherlands emergency support

Travel agency Oad, which organised the tour, said it was "deeply shocked and devastated by the tragic bus accident" and that its thoughts were with those involved and their loved ones, as reported by AP.

Dutch travel industry association ANVR described the event as "terrible", reports AD, while Swiss President Guy Parmelin expressed on social media that he was "deeply shocked and dismayed", offering his "sincere condolences to the families of the deceased" and promising a "comprehensive and thorough investigation".

Emergency crews have recovered the bus from the site and reopened the road to traffic. Local prosecutors in Graubünden have opened an investigation alongside cantonal police to determine the exact cause of the crash. A consular team led by the Dutch ambassador to Switzerland, along with a specialised medical triage team from Eurocross, has arrived in the region to support victims and coordinate assistance with local authorities.