Two killed in Canaries bus crash

One of the injured tourists is carried into an ambulance

Two tourists were killed and nine others seriously injured when a coach carrying Scottish holidaymakers careered off a road in Gran Canaria.

The accident happened close to the Amadores Beach, near Mogan. Two women, aged between 30 and 40 died at the scene of the crash.

About 55 people were on the coach excursion from Playa del Ingles.

They were on a holiday operated by Seguro and left Prestwick Airport in Ayrshire on Sunday.

Local reports said that the coach's brakes had failed and that the driver, a Spanish woman, had deliberately driven into a crash barrier to stop the vehicle.

Holidaymaker Colin Muphy said he was walking from the beach to his hotel when he heard a loud bang.

He told BBC Scotland: "At first I thought it was sand or rock-blasting. But when I turned round the corner, I saw this bus lying on its side.

"Along with quite a few other people, I immediately ran towards the bus and we tried to help as many people as we possibly could to get out. It was a pretty bad disaster."

Another man who saw the bus after the crash wrote on a website that it was on its side with "lots of windows smashed" but that it had not left the road.

GRAN CANARIA CRASH Seguro helpline: 01625 511 935 Two dead Nine seriously injured More than 40 taken to hospital Passengers from around Scotland

The BBC's Katya Adler said there were many narrow coastal roads in the area of the crash, which is in the south west of the island.

Forty-two people were taken to the Clinica Roca at nearby San Agustin.

Dr Joaquin Lopez, medical director at the hospital, said seven people were seriously hurt, however, their injuries were not life-threatening.

He said: "Most of the injured have fractures or are suffering from cuts and shock.

"There are men, women and several children amongst the injured. The adults are various ages but relatively young. There are no elderly people."

The two most seriously injured holidaymakers were flown by helicopter to hospital in Las Palmas. One is a woman with head and stomach injuries, the other a man with head injuries.

'Stunned and frightened'

The holidaymakers are said to have been returning from a welcome party after arriving during the night at the start of a two-week holiday.

Nicola McAbe, 30, from Paisley, who works at the Highlander pub five minutes walk from Amadores beach, said: "The first I knew about this was when a young Scots lad named Alan came rushing into the bar.

"He was absolutely stunned and frightened.

The crash happened on this road as the coach went downhill

"He said he was at the scene of the crash soon after the bus careered off the road and told how it was lying on its side with lots of windows broken.

"He said there were about a dozen ambulances there and firemen. A huge crane arrived to try to lift the bus up onto the roadside.

"These holidaymakers hadn't been on the island a full day as far as I know. I have been told that they were Seguro clients.

"There is always a welcome party when holidaymakers arrive and I think this group was returning from their welcome to the Canary Islands celebration drink in Las Palmas."

'Papers in order'

A Red Cross official in Las Palmas said:"I don't think any passengers amongst the 55 aboard was not injured in some way.

"But thank God the majority, I am told, are not serious. But there are a number in a grave condition."

The mayor of Mogan, Francisco Gonzalez, told the Spanish national newsagency, EFE, that the coach was 15 years old and that it had passed all required tests and its papers were in order.

A spokesman for Cheshire-based Seguro said: "We are awaiting a full briefing from the police and our overseas representative.

"But, unfortunately, we can confirm two passengers have died and a number of passengers have been seriously injured.

"We would like to offer our sincere condolences to the families of those involved."

A UK Foreign Office spokesman said: "Our consul has visited the scene and is on his way to the hospital. We are in contact with the local and national authorities and we have opened our emergency number for public inquiries."