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Two dead after M-way coach crash | Two dead after M-way coach crash |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A man and a woman have died and 10 passengers are seriously ill after a coach crashed near Heathrow Airport. | |
The London-to-Aberdeen National Express coach overturned, at 2345 GMT on Wednesday, on a slip road from the M4 to the M25 in west London. | |
At least three of those hurt are children and some of the people taken to hospital have lost limbs. | |
National Express said it was likely many of the 65 passengers were returning from holiday. | National Express said it was likely many of the 65 passengers were returning from holiday. |
Sixteen ambulances, four rapid response cars, a number of doctors, three patient transport vehicles and an equipment support vehicle from the London Ambulance Service attended the scene. | |
PHONE LINES National Express helpline: 0121 625 1278Police witness appeal: 0845 8 505 505Brake Support line: 0845 6038570 | |
Firefighters used hydraulic cutting gear, airbags and thermal imaging cameras to help rescue seven people, and five were released before they got there. | |
The injured were taken to a number of hospitals, the majority to Hillingdon Hospital, including the man and woman who were confirmed dead. | |
A spokesman for the west London hospital said 38 passengers were taken there. Of those, two are still in a serious condition. | |
He added another patient was a 14-year-old boy and one person had undergone an arm amputation. | |
A further 16 casualties were taken to Charing Cross Hospital. One of those was later transferred to another hospital, and three are "giving doctors cause for concern", a spokesman said. | |
The coach has now been moved from the scene | The coach has now been moved from the scene |
Seven of the injured, including a one-year-old and a two-year-old, were taken to West Middlesex Hospital in Isleworth, west London. A man and a woman are described as being in critical conditions. | Seven of the injured, including a one-year-old and a two-year-old, were taken to West Middlesex Hospital in Isleworth, west London. A man and a woman are described as being in critical conditions. |
It is believed a child has been admitted to St Mary's Hospital, London, and another to Wrexham Park in Slough, Berkshire. | |
Four of the casualties are being treated at St Peter's Hospital in Chertsey, Surrey, and the condition of all of them is described as "serious". | |
The coach was a No 592 service which departed London Victoria at 2230 GMT and was due to arrive in Aberdeen at 1030 GMT. | The coach was a No 592 service which departed London Victoria at 2230 GMT and was due to arrive in Aberdeen at 1030 GMT. |
As well as the passengers two staff were on board the service, which was due to stop at Heathrow Airport, Carlisle, Hamilton, Glasgow and Dundee. | |
Police said they did not believe any other vehicle was involved in the crash but investigations were continuing. | Police said they did not believe any other vehicle was involved in the crash but investigations were continuing. |
It's quite likely there were holidaymakers, and certainly some foreign nationals, on board as well when the coach left Heathrow National Express chief executive Paul Bunting | |
The coach has been loaded on to the back of a lorry and has now been moved. | |
The crash closed the slip road from junction 4B of the M4 leading to junction 15 of the M25 clockwise, where the accident happened. It has now reopened. | |
National Express chief executive Paul Bunting said the coach was one of a pair but the other was not involved in the crash and continued its journey. | National Express chief executive Paul Bunting said the coach was one of a pair but the other was not involved in the crash and continued its journey. |
He added most of the passengers were going to Glasgow. | |
"It's quite likely there were holidaymakers, and certainly some foreign nationals, on board as well when the coach left Heathrow," he said. | "It's quite likely there were holidaymakers, and certainly some foreign nationals, on board as well when the coach left Heathrow," he said. |
"We know we had some Polish nationals as well as Scottish people." | "We know we had some Polish nationals as well as Scottish people." |