14 Killed, 12 Injured When Bus Falls Off Cliff

On July 17, 14 people were killed and 12 others suffered personal injuries, many of which were considered serious, at about 5 p.m. local time (noon Eastern Standard Time), when a bus fell off a cliff about 87 miles north of the Albanian capital of Tirana, according to authorities.

According to police official Hysni Burgaj, the accident was caused by a sudden downpour. Authorities are still uncertain of the total number of passengers aboard the bus.

Police say after traveling over the edge of the cliff, the bus plummeted a distance of 30-40 yards. The injured received transport to hospitals in Tirana and Shkodra, Albania.

The country’s president, Bamir Topi, and prime minister, Sali Berisha, visited the injured at the hospital in Tirana, promising urgent assistance. The government proclaimed the following day a national day of mourning.