At least five people are killed in Spain after a bus falls off a bridge into a river Spain

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At least five people have died after a bus plunged off a bridge into a river flowing in northwest Spain late on Christmas Eve.

On Sunday, authorities said emergency teams were searching for at least one missing person, while two survivors – the bus driver and a female passenger – were rescued from the Lirez River in Galicia and taken to hospitals. Police said the driver tested negative for alcohol and drugs.

The first call to emergency services came from a passing motorist who noticed that part of the guardrail along the highway between the cities of Lugo and Vigo had been destroyed. Amidst the darkness and pouring rain, the caller couldn’t spot any cars in the river – about 75 meters below the bridge – but said the railing damage appeared to be recent.

Soon after, a call came from inside the vehicle, during which a passenger told emergency services that the bus had plunged into the river and was “filling with water,” El Pais reported.

Rescuers rushed to the scene in the face of heavy rain and strong currents to reach the bus. The search was suspended for hours after the river crossed its overflow threshold in the early hours of the morning.

On Sunday, the leader of the Galicia region, Alfonso Rueda, told reporters that search and rescue efforts were continuing, helped by the rains. “It’s always horrific to talk about an accident like this, but this time of year it’s even more terrifying,” he said.

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It is believed that eight or nine people, including the driver, were on the bus. Stops along the way included a local jail, and many of the passengers were said to be going home late Saturday after visiting imprisoned loved ones.

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