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Officials: 3 US volunteers killed in Honduras bus crash | Officials: 3 US volunteers killed in Honduras bus crash |
(about 1 hour later) | |
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — Two New York college students and a U.S. health-care worker died Wednesday in this Central American nation when their bus crashed while taking them to the airport to fly home after a volunteer mission helping poor Hondurans. | |
Isa Alvarado, spokeswoman for the Public Ministry morgue in Honduras, said the dead were three American women aged 20, 21 and 45. Their identities were not immediately released. | Isa Alvarado, spokeswoman for the Public Ministry morgue in Honduras, said the dead were three American women aged 20, 21 and 45. Their identities were not immediately released. |
Twelve more Americans were injured. Reinaldo Canales, administrator for the Valle de Angeles Adventist Hospital, said they were in stable condition. | Twelve more Americans were injured. Reinaldo Canales, administrator for the Valle de Angeles Adventist Hospital, said they were in stable condition. |
U.S.-based Global Brigades, which organizes international health and development missions, posted a notice on its website saying the accident involved a bus transporting “Columbia University students and other volunteers,” and that those killed were two students and a health care professional. | U.S.-based Global Brigades, which organizes international health and development missions, posted a notice on its website saying the accident involved a bus transporting “Columbia University students and other volunteers,” and that those killed were two students and a health care professional. |
Columbia later issued a statement saying the vehicle was also carrying students from Barnard College, a women’s liberal arts institution that is affiliated with the university and is located just steps away from its campus in upper Manhattan. | |
“Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to all those affected by this tragedy,” said the Global Brigades statement, attributed to co-founder Steven Atamian. Phone messages left at the organization’s headquarters in Seattle were not immediately returned. | |
The crash took place on a highway east of the Honduran capital, Tegucigalpa. Officials reported that the bus was traveling from the town of San Juancito when it veered off a road and fell at least 260 feet (80 meters) into a ravine. | |
Firefighters’ spokesman Capt. Gustavo Barahona said the crash was believed to be the result of mechanical failure. | Firefighters’ spokesman Capt. Gustavo Barahona said the crash was believed to be the result of mechanical failure. |
He added that at the time of the accident, they were on their way to the airport to return to the United States after carrying out a health mission for poor residents of San Juancito and Valle de Angeles. | He added that at the time of the accident, they were on their way to the airport to return to the United States after carrying out a health mission for poor residents of San Juancito and Valle de Angeles. |
Alvarado said forensic workers were preparing the bodies to be returned to the United States. | Alvarado said forensic workers were preparing the bodies to be returned to the United States. |
The U.S. Embassy in Honduras said in a statement it was in close contact with local authorities and working to provide consular assistance to any who need it. | The U.S. Embassy in Honduras said in a statement it was in close contact with local authorities and working to provide consular assistance to any who need it. |
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Associated Press writers Peter Orsi in Mexico City and Thomas McElroy in New York contributed. | |
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
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