At least three people have died and another six have been seriously injured after the bus in which they were traveling from the well-known Kissing Bridge, located in the center of Saint Petersburg, fell into the river this Friday, according to emergency services.
“According to the latest data, as a result of the bus falling (into the Moika River), three people died and six have been hospitalized,” the source told the TASS agency. The source added that four of the injured are clinically dead and two others are in very serious condition.
The Russian Investigative Committee confirmed that the accident caused deaths and injuries, without specifying their number.
The emergency services, which estimated there were around twenty passengers on the bus, ended the rescue efforts.
According to the Fontanka digital newspaper, divers managed to remove the bodies of some of the passengers through the windows of the damaged bus.
The water temperature in the canals of the Baltic city is lower than usual, since these days Russia is the scene of an anomalous cold wave for this time of year.
The Police of the former tsarist capital reported that they received the emergency call around 1:00 p.m. local time.
According to the municipal Transportation Committee, the driver lost control of the bus, hit several cars parked on the edge of the street and crashed into the river. For this reason, the bus driver has been arrested and the Ministry of the Interior announced that a criminal case has been opened for reckless imprudence with more than two deaths. The bus fell into the water from a metal bridge built in the 18th century, but rebuilt in the early 20th century.
The one known as the Kissing Bridge is located a short distance from the Marinski Theater in the cultural capital of this country, known for its numerous canals.