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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Alps coach crash: British driver killed is named | Alps coach crash: British driver killed is named |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| The British driver who died after a coach carrying ski resort staff crashed in the French Alps has been named as Maurice Wrightson, from Northumberland. | |
| Three seriously injured Britons remain in hospital. They were among more than 50 people on the coach, which crashed and burst into flames. | Three seriously injured Britons remain in hospital. They were among more than 50 people on the coach, which crashed and burst into flames. |
| The chartered coach had been transporting staff back to the UK at the end of the ski season. | The chartered coach had been transporting staff back to the UK at the end of the ski season. |
| The crash happened on Tuesday afternoon, near the Alpe d'Huez resort. | The crash happened on Tuesday afternoon, near the Alpe d'Huez resort. |
| Vehicle brakes | Vehicle brakes |
| The coach crashed as it travelled down a steep mountain road, which features 21 hairpin bends. The road regularly features in the Tour de France cycling race. | The coach crashed as it travelled down a steep mountain road, which features 21 hairpin bends. The road regularly features in the Tour de France cycling race. |
| Mr Wrightson, 63, worked for County Durham-based Classic Coaches and the coach had been hired by Brighton company Skibound. | |
| Police suspect there was a problem with the vehicle's brakes, causing it to veer off the road and smash into rocks before bursting into flames. | Police suspect there was a problem with the vehicle's brakes, causing it to veer off the road and smash into rocks before bursting into flames. |
| Several passengers escaped from the burning wreckage by jumping from the windows. A helicopter was scrambled to the scene where firefighters battled to put out the flames. | Several passengers escaped from the burning wreckage by jumping from the windows. A helicopter was scrambled to the scene where firefighters battled to put out the flames. |
| Facebook tributes | Facebook tributes |
| French transport minister Frederic Cuvillier praised Mr Wrightson's "remarkable courage" when he visited the scene. | French transport minister Frederic Cuvillier praised Mr Wrightson's "remarkable courage" when he visited the scene. |
| Mr Cuvillier suggested that Mr Wrightson, from Ashington, had saved lives by trying to slow down the vehicle by hitting rocks rather than risk it going over a precipice. | |
| Family and friends paid tribute to Mr Wrightson using a Facebook tribute page for the driver. | Family and friends paid tribute to Mr Wrightson using a Facebook tribute page for the driver. |
| Wendy Wrightson described him as "a good man who lost his life far too soon but lost it a hero doing what he did best". | Wendy Wrightson described him as "a good man who lost his life far too soon but lost it a hero doing what he did best". |
| She wrote: "We lit all our candles last night and chatted fondly about you. You will be a huge miss to many people but I wish you peace and sleep well, you deserve it. I am sure your star will be shining brightly for all to see and see it we all will." | She wrote: "We lit all our candles last night and chatted fondly about you. You will be a huge miss to many people but I wish you peace and sleep well, you deserve it. I am sure your star will be shining brightly for all to see and see it we all will." |
| Steve Wardlaw said: "Everyone who new Maurice liked him. Everyone who met him had a Maurice story to tell. And every Maurice story left you smiling... RIP a legend to us all." | Steve Wardlaw said: "Everyone who new Maurice liked him. Everyone who met him had a Maurice story to tell. And every Maurice story left you smiling... RIP a legend to us all." |