Three Cork students injured in Spain coach crash

Three Irish students have been injured in a Spain coach crash that has killed 13 people.

The bus crashed on a motorway on its way back from a fireworks festival. Of the 57 passengers, 13 were killed and 34 were left injured.

Three of the injured people are understood to be University College Cork students, but have not been named.

The incident occurred on the AP7 highway near Freginals

On the University College Cork Facebook page, the uni posted: “Bus crash in Spain update. UCC confirms that three female students from the University were on the bus that crashed in Spain. One of the three UCC students on the bus is understood to be in hospital with an arm injury, none of three were amongst the fatalities.

“UCC has 11 students participating in Erasmus programmes at the University of Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain. The UCC International Office has made contact with the 11 students or their families to offer support.

“UCC has e-mailed its other Erasmus students abroad to let them know about the bus crash in Spain.

“The Erasmus programme is an EU programme whereby EU students study in another EU country typically for a year in the third year of their studies. The University wishes to express its condolences to the families, friends and wider university communities of the students who died in this tragic accident.”

The students on the bus, all female, were in the Erasmus exchange programme at university in Barcelona when the coach hit the barriers of the AP7 highway near Freginals, halfway between Valencia and Barcelona.

UCC updated their Facebook page yesterday, posting: “Two members of UCC staff, from the academic and counselling areas, will travel to Spain tomorrow to provide direct assistance to the UCC students in Barcelona. The University is conscious of the possible distress of students from Barcelona who are studying in Cork and steps are being taken to meet and support them. The welfare of its students, at home and abroad, is always of paramount importance to the University.

“UCC has confirmed that all three students who were on the bus that crashed are safe and well and in recovery and that the University has been in touch with its 11 students on the Erasmus programme in Barcelona.”