Saturday, October 01, 2016

Man dies in Rangers fans' coach crash


One man has died after a coach carrying Rangers supporters overturned in East Ayrshire.

Police Scotland said a further 18 people were taken to hospital, and three were seriously hurt.

The crash happened at about 13:15 on Saturday on the A76
by the Crossroads Roundabout near Kilmarnock.
One passenger said the bus, which had 37 people on board
including the driver, had "swerved" before landing on its side
on a grass verge.

In an updated statement Police Scotland said: "We can
confirm a 39-year-old man has died following a serious coach
crash on the A76 near Crossroads Roundabout.

"A report will be prepared for the Procurator Fiscal. "Eighteen people are receiving treatment in hospital, three of whom are in a serious condition.

"This includes seven men under 20 years of age. Three men
and three women aged between 30 and 59 and five men over
60. Enquiries are ongoing."
There are reports that the man who was killed was originally
from Northern Ireland.
According to other reports on social media, the bus was
carrying members of the Nith Valley Loyal Rangers Supporters
Club.
The club posted on its Facebook page: "The club would like to
thank everyone for their good wishes & concern at this sad
time."
The road was closed in both directions and crash investigators
were examining the scene.
Ryan Rowe was travelling to work when he saw the bus, just
minutes after the crash.

"Within two minutes the fire service, ambulance and police all
turned up. There were still people trapped inside," he said.
"One man I spoke to was just sitting down and in tears and
he was shaking. He said the bus has swerved.

"Another young man had cuts all over his arm and blood all
the way down it. He was holding it in the air to try and stop
the bleeding.

"Two or three windows on the bus had been smashed and
when I was there paramedics were still trying to get people
out of the other side that the bus was lying on."
His father Ricky said there was no sign that any other vehicle
had been involved.
He said: "We'd seen people in tears and knew that it was a
horrific accident - and just by the nature of where the bus was
which was quite high up on the verge by the roundabout.
"We knew that it must have been going at quite a fast speed
to actually reach up there on its side."
Rangers were playing Partick Thistle at Ibrox stadium on
Saturday afternoon.
After the match, Rangers assistant manager David Weir
offered his sympathies to the victims of the crash.
He said: "Obviously there are things more important than
football. Our thoughts are with the people involved, the
families involved, and I'm sure the club will be very supportive
in regards to anything they can do to help the situation."

Source: BBC sport

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