Nažidla Bus Accident
On 8 March 2003, a Neoplan Skyliner double-decker tour bus carrying 53 people veered off the I/3 road (part of European route E55) near the hamlet of Nažidla in Bujanov, Czech Republic, and overturned, rolling seven meters down a slope and killing 19. A twentieth victim died of his injuries two and a half years later. 26 more people were severely injured. The passengers were members and family of the TJ Slovan Karlovy Vary swimming club returning from a skiing trip in the Alps; half of the victims were under 20 years old. In 2018, it was considered the worst transport accident in the Czech Republic since the breakup of Czechoslovakia in 1993.
Consequences
The bus' driver, Pavel Krbec, who survived the crash, was sentenced to eight years in prison for endangerment, but was released after five. Krbec was a taxi driver who had a bus license, but had not gone through the required training to drive professionally and had faked his credentials.
References
- ^ "Nineteen dead, 34 injured in horrific bus crash". Radio Prague International. Czech Radio. 10 March 2003. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
- ^ Kerles, Marek (28 September 2015). "POHNUTÉ OSUDY: 20 mrtvých u Nažidel. Nehoda, po které i otrlí záchranáři hledali pomoc psychologa". Lidovky.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 15 May 2023.
- ^ "Nejtragičtější nehoda 15 let poté. Na silnici smrti u Nažidel se nezměnilo skoro nic". ČT24 (in Czech). Czech Television. 8 March 2018. Retrieved 15 May 2023.