ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) — A bus veered off a bridge in St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city, killing at least three people and leaving six others injured on Friday, officials said.
The Emergencies Ministry said that rescuers removed nine people from the water, and three of them died. It said that four others were in critical condition, and two more were in serious condition.
Russian news reports said there were 15 people on the city bus when it broke through a barrier and plunged into the Moika River in central St. Petersburg. Six of those who were onboard climbed out of the water on their own.
A surveillance video released by the Russian media showed the bus driving fast, making a sharp turn onto the bridge and colliding with another vehicle before breaking through the barrier and falling into the water.
Authorities in St. Petersburg said that the owner of the bus had been fined 23 times for various violations. Private companies run most of the city’s bus services.
The bus driver was detained by police. His wife was quoted by Russian media as saying that managers forced him to work a morning shift after working for 20 hours the previous day and getting virtually no rest.
Authorities opened a criminal investigation into alleged traffic violations and unsafe travel services.