Three dead in road crash

A passenger's wheelchair lies beside the overturned minibus

Three people have been killed and a number of others injured in a collision between a minibus and a lorry in County Antrim.

It happened outside a petrol station on the main Belfast to Londonderry Road near Toomebridge at about 1420 GMT on Thursday.

The police have said that a 40-year-old man from Londonderry is being questioned in connection with the accident.

He is being questioned about dangerous driving causing death.

It is all the more shocking as it involved people with learning disabilities

Donovan McClelland Assembly member

Those who died, including a man and a woman, were all adults with learning difficulties who were travelling in the minibus.

Ten other people including the driver of the minibus were taken to Antrim Area Hospital.

Seven people have since been discharged and three are being detained overnight for observation.

Dr Mark Jenkins, an A&E consultant from the hospital, said communication problems with the casualties had led to some difficulties in treating their injuries.

"The main problem was one of communication," he said.

"It was very hard for them to express where they sore, were they in pain and if they felt there was anything seriously wrong.

"Because of that we had to keep two in for observation."

Their injuries are not though to be very serious and they are in a stable condition

Dr Mark Jenkins: "It was difficult for patients to express their injuries"

The minibus was travelling along the Moneynick Road from a nursing home and 10 adults with learning disabilities, a driver and a care worker were on board.

The driver of the lorry has also been treated in hospital.

The minibus ended up on its side. The ambulance service had to free at least one person from the wreckage.

The ambulance service said a number of motorists and passers-by stopped at the scene to try to give assistance.

The DUP assembly member for Mid-Ulster, the Reverend William McCrea, described the accident as a "terrible tragedy".

"This is an appalling incident. My thoughts and prayers just go out to the families of those killed and everyone involved in this terrible tragedy.

The nationalist SDLP assembly member for South Antrim, Donovan McClelland said people were in "absolute shock" about the accident.

"It is all the more shocking as it involved people with learning disabilities," he said.

"There is a very special sense of grief."

The police are advising motorists to avoid the area due to traffic congestion.