Scores die in bus accident in Italy

A bus carrying pilgrims hit several cars before going off a bridge and smashing and toppling down about 100 feet a slope in Campania region near the town of Avellino in Italy.  The coach was carrying pilgrims back to Napel from a catholic shrine the Padre Pio shrine in San Giovanni Rotondo, over the weekend when the tragedy happened. Reports indicate that several people have died while at least 12 people have been hospitalized with serious injuries. The driver of the bus is said to be among the dead as the cause of the accident remains unclear. Italian officials have said that children were among the dead.

Although there conflicting reports concerning the actual number of deaths, our sources have told us that 37 seven bodies have been recovered from the wreckage according to Pasquale Picone, a police official in Avellino. “However, more bodies could be found in the wreckage”, Picone said. The actual number of pilgrims who were in the bus is not known though some reports have suggested that they ranged from 40 to 50.

Photos and Tv footage showed a severely damaged bus laying on one side surrounded by dead bodies which were being covered in white sheets.