Local woman killed in French bus crash

A WOMAN, 55, who was travelling to Alicante to see her son died in a bus accident in the South of France.

Another man died in the accident which occurred near Fitou, Aude, and 30 were injured. The driver, also Spanish, was taken to hospital, in a state of shock.

The accident reportedly occurred when a passenger grabbed the wheel in an attempt to make the driver stop while the two were arguing. However, the French Gendarme considers this is not credible. The driver was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

The vehicle left the A9 motorway in France and fell some 70 metres. Almost 130 firemen were called to the scene as well as police, helicopters and ambulances.

The bus had left Marseille heading for Murcia carrying Spanish, French, Ukrainian and Russian passengers. The three drivers on the bus were from Fuente Alamo, Lorca and Puerto Lumbreras.

The woman was travelling to Alicante to spend 10 days with her son. Other passengers alerted her family of her death using her mobile phone.