Ten people injured in an accident during a family walk: a minibus lost its brakes and fell into a 50-meter abyss in Santander

Ten injured passengers remained under medical attention after the fall of a small bus from an abyss on a rural road in the municipality of Tona, in the department of Santander. Among those affected are minors and adults, some with very serious injuries. ADVERTISEMENT The injured were taken to the University Hospital of Santander, in Bucaramanga. The ambulances that attended the emergency also received support from residents of the Vegas hamlet, who transported some of the passengers in private vehicles. The accident occurred around 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 18th, on the road connecting the municipality with that hamlet. The special service minibus went off the road and descended a slope of approximately 50 meters. The emergency mobilized rescue units and ambulances, which arrived at the area to assist the passengers and organize their evacuation to medical centers. ADVERTISEMENT According to this hypothesis, the driver lost control of the vehicle before it left the road and rolled down the slope. Sergeant Pedro Antonio Hernández, commander of the Tona Fire Department, reported that the first version indicates that the vehicle had a problem with its braking system while traveling along that rural stretch. The mechanical cause is, for now, the main known line about the accident. However, that version still requires verification by the competent authorities. The investigation must determine the conditions under which the minibus was traveling and establish what happened during the journey prior to the loss of control. ADVERTISEMENT The event left questions about the condition of the vehicle and about the factors that may have contributed to it ending up off the road. The conclusions will depend on the actions taken after the emergency. The Fire Commander of Tona delivered the preliminary report while rescue and transport work were underway for the injured. The initial information did not specify how many people were traveling in the vehicle. Nor was the identity of the affected passengers or the particular circumstances each one faced during the fall disclosed. The residents of the hamlet helped in the care of the passengers The peasants of the hamlet went to the place to support the emergency organizations. Their collaboration added to the response deployed to assist the people who were injured after the impact. ADVERTISEMENT The magnitude of the descent forced the coordination of the exit of the injured from the point where the minibus lay. The rescue teams concentrated their efforts on attending to the passengers and facilitating their transport. The presence of minors among the injured raised concern during the emergency care. The Fire Department report indicated that there were also adults with injuries requiring medical assistance. The patients were taken to the University Hospital of Santander, where health professionals must determine the extent of the wounds. So far, no detailed report has been provided on the condition of each person. ADVERTISEMENT The count of at least 10 injured corresponds to the balance known in the first hours after the accident. Health authorities must confirm if this figure remains and specify the severity of each case. No information has been released about specialized procedures, eventual additional transfers, or the evolution of patients with more serious injuries. The priority remains focused on the care of the injured passengers. At the same time, the authorities will have to clarify whether the minibus suffered a mechanical failure and if there were other elements that contributed to the accident that occurred on the rural road of Tona. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT