Minibus carrying eight Romanians plunges 10 metres into a ravine in Austria, five women injured

What happened

A Romanian-registered minibus fell into a ravine on a communal road in the Sankt Veit an der Glan district of Austria on Thursday evening. The vehicle was travelling from St. Kosmas towards Brugga when the 36-year-old Romanian driver lost control after a right-hand curve. The minibus left the carriageway to the right, plunged approximately ten metres down an embankment, and came to rest on its roof among trees. All eight occupants (all Romanian citizens) managed to exit or were pulled from the vehicle before emergency services arrived.

Casualties and rescue

Five women were injured in the crash. One Romanian woman sustained injuries of as yet undetermined severity and was airlifted by the C11 emergency helicopter to the Trauma Hospital in Klagenfurt. Four other women suffered light injuries and were taken by ambulance to the hospital in Friesach. The remaining three occupants, including the driver, were uninjured. Around 30 firefighters from Althofen and Meiselding, paramedics, and Red Cross teams attended the scene. The minibus’s precarious position prevented its recovery the same evening.

Driver and investigation

The 36-year-old Romanian driver was breathalysed on site and returned a negative result, ruling out alcohol as a contributing factor. Police have launched an investigation to establish the exact circumstances of the accident. The cause of the loss of control remains unknown.