Bus Crash In Chile [Archive] - RonFez.net Messageboard

DJEvelEd

03-23-2006, 07:16 AM

SANTIAGO, Chile -- Twelve Americans are dead following the crash of a tourist bus Wednesday in northern Chile. It plunged 300 feet down a mountainside. Two other Americans and two Chileans -- the driver and the tour guide -- were hospitalized in serious condition. The tourists were returning to the Celebrity Cruises' ship Millennium, docked in Arica, from an excursion to a nearby national park. The driver told police he lost control after swerving to avoid a truck. Police said the ship was scheduled to leave for Peru early Monday, but the departure has been postponed in the wake of the accident. It's now unclear when it will depart. The ship was sailing a 14-night South American cruise that departed Valparaiso, Chile, on March 19 and was scheduled to conclude in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on April 2. Celebrity Cruises, which is owned by Miami-based Royal Caribbean Cruises, said the bus trip was not affiliated with it. Relatives of the Americans who were killed are being flown there by Celebrity Cruises. The U.S. embassy in Chile is sending consular officers to Arica to help out.   My boss lost BOTH of her parents in this bus crash. She is flying down to Chile to identify the bodies. My boss is so nice and we are all really upset here at work. What do I say to her? This is one of the worst things that could happen to someone and I feel so bad for her. Any ideas on what to say/do as I'm at a loss for words. All of us here at work are just floored.What a shock! This really sucks. <img height="300" src="http://images.ibsys.com/2006/0323/8204557_400X300.jpg" width="400" border="0" /> <a href="http://www.turnto10.com/news/8205127/detail.html">http://www.turnto10.com/news/8205127/detail.html</a>     

This message was edited by DJEvelEd on 3-23-06 @ 11:18 AM

Furtherman

03-23-2006, 07:24 AM

Afwul. Never get on a bus in a foreign country.  Every month you hear about one going over a cliff.

DJEvelEd

03-23-2006, 07:30 AM

What amazes me is that the driver & tour guide survived. They must have jumped out as the bus was going over.

angrymissy

03-23-2006, 08:17 AM

The buses down there... they drive like FREAKING MANIACS around windy
moutain roads.  I was terrified just being in a cab in South
America, let alone a bus.  That really sucks about your boss
though to lose both parents in such a random accident

FUNKMAN

03-23-2006, 08:21 AM

sorry to hear it, my condolences...

WhistlePig

03-23-2006, 08:37 AM

All you can say is you're sorry for her loss. Give her a hug if you're close. Offer to
water her plants or feed her pets while she's gone--try to be helpful.

sr71blackbird

03-23-2006, 12:27 PM

<img height="304" src="http://www.safetycenter.navy.mil/photo/images/caption04_small.jpg" width="498" border="0" />They really needs to try and get less than 300 people on these buss'

DJEvelEd

03-23-2006, 02:14 PM

The Chilean driver and tour guide  were hospitalized, but Juan Carlos Poli, a city hall spokesman in the Pacific port city of Arica, said they were in better condition and the guide was expected to be released Thursday. Hanrahan said the bus tour was not among those offered by Celebrity Cruises, which is owned by Miami-based Royal Caribbean Cruises. “We don't know when they made the reservations (for the shore excursion). We do know they did not make the reservations on the ship.” He said the company had not worked with the bus operator before. Chilean officials said the bus lacked permission to carry passengers. The bus “was not registered with the Transportation Ministry,” said Jorge Caceres, head of the ministry's office in the region where the accident occurred. The prosecutor in charge of investigating the accident, Manuel Gonzalez, said the driver may have fallen asleep.  “The investigation is still open, but we have an initial theory,” he told Radio Cooperativa of Santiago. “Basically, a failure by the driver that may have been caused by the fact that he was tired ... apparently he fell asleep.” How the heck does the dumbass driver live?  I guess the driver woke up just in time to swerve and jump out.  Unbelievable!The roads in South America are scary enough, sharp deep cliffs, no lights, and crazy drivers passing on blind mountain curves. It is insane driving while fully awake on those roads.