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| Alps bus driver died after crashing into rocks to save passengers, inquest hears | Alps bus driver died after crashing into rocks to save passengers, inquest hears |
| (17 days later) | |
| A bus driver died in a “complete inferno” after driving directly into boulders on a narrow mountain road to try to save his passengers, an inquest has heard. | A bus driver died in a “complete inferno” after driving directly into boulders on a narrow mountain road to try to save his passengers, an inquest has heard. |
| Maurice Wrightson, 63, from Ashington in Northumberland, had been descending the precarious D211 road from the Alpe d’Huez ski resort in France with a coach full of British staff on 16 April 2013. | Maurice Wrightson, 63, from Ashington in Northumberland, had been descending the precarious D211 road from the Alpe d’Huez ski resort in France with a coach full of British staff on 16 April 2013. |
| As he approached the 21st hairpin bend, Wrightson became aware the brakes had failed and decided to smash into the mountainside rather than attempt the corner. | As he approached the 21st hairpin bend, Wrightson became aware the brakes had failed and decided to smash into the mountainside rather than attempt the corner. |
| As flames engulfed the coach, passengers tried desperately to escape through the broken windows. One woman sustained severe burns in the blaze. | As flames engulfed the coach, passengers tried desperately to escape through the broken windows. One woman sustained severe burns in the blaze. |
| French investigators concluded that Wrightson had “undoubtedly prevented” the more serious consequences of the vehicle leaving the road. | French investigators concluded that Wrightson had “undoubtedly prevented” the more serious consequences of the vehicle leaving the road. |
| The coroner’s court in Berwick heard from Wrightson’s co-driver, Nathan Woodland, 39, who also worked for Classic Coaches, which is based in County Durham. | The coroner’s court in Berwick heard from Wrightson’s co-driver, Nathan Woodland, 39, who also worked for Classic Coaches, which is based in County Durham. |
| Describing Wrightson as “old school and a very good driver”, Woodland said his colleague had not been worried by the steep, winding road and had been in no rush. | Describing Wrightson as “old school and a very good driver”, Woodland said his colleague had not been worried by the steep, winding road and had been in no rush. |
| But after going through a small chicane, he said he felt the bus twitch and became aware something was wrong. | But after going through a small chicane, he said he felt the bus twitch and became aware something was wrong. |
| Woodland said: “I could see the road all the way down to turn 21, the distance was about half a mile. The gradient was not that steep compared to other bits, but suddenly Maurice looked at me with a very shocked look on his face. | Woodland said: “I could see the road all the way down to turn 21, the distance was about half a mile. The gradient was not that steep compared to other bits, but suddenly Maurice looked at me with a very shocked look on his face. |
| “He said: ‘It’s not stopping us, it’s not stopping us.’ I could tell immediately something was very wrong.” | “He said: ‘It’s not stopping us, it’s not stopping us.’ I could tell immediately something was very wrong.” |
| Woodland said Wrightson began to grip the wheel very tightly and braced himself against his seat to apply more pressure to the brake. | Woodland said Wrightson began to grip the wheel very tightly and braced himself against his seat to apply more pressure to the brake. |
| “The coach was not gaining speed, but it was not decelerating, the brakes were not stopping us,” he said. “I stepped into the aisle and shouted: ‘Grab a hold, hold tight’.” | “The coach was not gaining speed, but it was not decelerating, the brakes were not stopping us,” he said. “I stepped into the aisle and shouted: ‘Grab a hold, hold tight’.” |
| Woodland described how the coach smashed into the boulders and he was thrown several rows back. | Woodland described how the coach smashed into the boulders and he was thrown several rows back. |
| He said as he rose to his feet he saw people trying to escape as flames engulfed the coach, which quickly turned into a “complete inferno”. | He said as he rose to his feet he saw people trying to escape as flames engulfed the coach, which quickly turned into a “complete inferno”. |
| “There was a girl who had been sat behind the driver’s seat, her clothes were on fire. A man was trying to get her off the coach and douse the fire on her clothes at the same time,” Woodland said. | “There was a girl who had been sat behind the driver’s seat, her clothes were on fire. A man was trying to get her off the coach and douse the fire on her clothes at the same time,” Woodland said. |
| Emergency services arrived about 25 minutes later; four passengers were seriously injured. | Emergency services arrived about 25 minutes later; four passengers were seriously injured. |
| The French transport minister, Frédéric Cuvillier, was reported as saying at the time: “The driver showed remarkable courage. The witnesses all agree that his acts and his attitude meant a much heavier loss of life was avoided.” | The French transport minister, Frédéric Cuvillier, was reported as saying at the time: “The driver showed remarkable courage. The witnesses all agree that his acts and his attitude meant a much heavier loss of life was avoided.” |
| The inquest heard the French report concluded the cause had been “the failing of the main brake, the pads of which had been completely destroyed by excessive heating”. | The inquest heard the French report concluded the cause had been “the failing of the main brake, the pads of which had been completely destroyed by excessive heating”. |
| The jury heard this was a result of the “poor condition of the hydraulic retarder”. | The jury heard this was a result of the “poor condition of the hydraulic retarder”. |