OTTAWA
\nAt least 15 people were killed in the Canadian prairie province of Manitoba on Thursday after a semi-trailer truck hit a small bus that was carrying a group of mainly elderly people, police said.
\nThe crash is one of the most lethal road accidents in recent Canadian history. The crash occurred at the junction of two major roads near the town of Carberry in southwestern Manitoba, 170 km (105 miles) west of Winnipeg. The bus passengers had been on their way to a casino in Carberry, CBC News reported, citing a casino spokesperson.
\n\u201cWe\u2019ve been able to establish that at least 15 people have been confirmed deceased as a result of this collision,\u201d said Assistant Commissioner Rob Hill, who commands the Manitoba Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
\nHill told a televised news conference that \u201csadly, this is a day in Manitoba and across Canada that will be remembered as one of tragedy and incredible sadness.\u201d
\nThe bus had been carrying about 25 people, most of them elderly, he said.
\nTen other people were being treated in hospital. Police said the drivers of both vehicles were alive, and declined to say who might have been responsible for the crash.
\nMedia reports initially identified the vehicle as a van rather than a bus. They said it was operated by Handi-Transit, which transports the elderly and those with disabilities.
\nThe Canadian Broadcasting Corporation showed a still photo of a white minivan-sized vehicle that had been burned out. It also showed a picture of a blue truck with a smashed-in front.
\nWheelchairs and crumpled walkers remained near tarpaulins covering bodies at the site, the Winnipeg Free Press said.
\nIn a tweet, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he sent his \u201cdeepest condolences to those who lost loved ones today, and I\u2019m keeping the injured in my thoughts. I cannot imagine the pain those affected are feeling,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cMy heart breaks hearing the news of the tragic accident near Carberry,\u201d Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson said on Twitter.
\nIn neighboring Saskatchewan, 16 people died in April 2018 after a truck hit a bus transporting a junior hockey team on a rural road. The truck driver was sentenced to eight years in prison in 2019.
\nThe worst traffic accident in Canadian history occurred in 1997 when a bus carrying seniors plunged into a ravine in the province of Quebec, killing 44 people.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
OTTAWA At least 15 people were killed in the Canadian prairie province of Manitoba on Thursday after a semi-trailer truck hit a small bus that was carrying a group of mainly elderly people, police said. The crash is one of the most lethal road accidents in recent Canadian history. The crash occurred at the junction […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":338231,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-338201","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n