Three die in coach crash horror in Surrey
Three people died and others were left seriously injured when a coach overturned after colliding with a tree on an embankment.
Three people died and others were left seriously injured when a coach overturned after colliding with a tree on an embankment.
Three people aboard the coach were declared dead at the scene and a fourth passenger was airlifted to hospital with life-changing injuries, Surrey Police said.
Others among the 53 passengers, some of whom have serious injuries, have been taken to other hospitals around the region.
The coach was travelling northbound on the A3 near Hindhead in Surrey at 11.50pm yesterday when it left the road between the Hindhead tunnel and the exit for Thursley.
No other vehicles are believed to have been involved in the collision.
The road was closed in both directions shortly after the incident, and Surrey Police, Surrey Fire and Rescue and South East Coast Ambulance Service all attended the scene, along with collision investigators.
The coach is from the Merseyside area and Surrey Police is working with its counterparts at Merseyside Police, as well as with the coach company, to identify the passengers and notify relatives.
Passengers were being taken to a rest centre which has been set up nearby a local council.
Surrey Police Assistant Chief Constable Jerry Kirkby said: "This has been declared a major incident and we are working with our colleagues from the other emergency services and other partner agencies to provide a co-ordinated response in line with agreed protocols.
"Our thoughts remain with the relatives of the dead and the injured at this time and we are working very hard to notify their next of kin."
Insp Richard Mallett, speaking at the scene this morning, said the coach had been full of passengers and checks for more survivors had been done.
"We are dealing with a major incident, a tragic major incident, the coach has gone off the road and had a significant impact with a tree, I think that is the best way to describe it.
"The bodies are still trapped inside the vehicle.
"As you can imagine it is a very delicate operation to remove them."