Barcelona Bus Crash Injures Cruise Passengers, Four Critical

A bus collision in Barcelona on Monday afternoon resulted in at least 53 injuries, with four people in critical condition. The accident took place at the intersection of Roger de Llúria and Roselló streets when one bus reportedly struck the back of another that was stationary, engaged in boarding cruise ship passengers.

Among the injured were cruise travelers from Italy, Great Britain, and Germany returning from a tour of the Sagrada Familia. Officials have not confirmed whether these passengers were aboard Windstar Cruises' Star Legend or Costa Toscana.

Emergency services were alerted to the incident at 2:57 p.m., prompting a rapid response. The Medical Emergency System (SEM) deployed 10 firefighter units, 19 ambulances, and several support teams to the scene.

Four critically injured individuals were swiftly transported to various hospitals, including Hospital Clínic, Hospital de Sant Pau, Hospital del Mar, and Hospital del Vall d'Hebron. Among the critically injured were a tour guide assisting the cruise group and a pedestrian struck by the collision's impact. Additionally, four individuals suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries and were admitted to local hospitals, while 45 others received on-site treatment or were taken to nearby health centers for further evaluation.

Preliminary reports indicate that the collision occurred when a bus operated by F. Canals, which was carrying a group of Italian students from Lloret de Mar, crashed into a Juliá company coach that was parked in an authorized area for passenger pick-up. The impact forced the stationary bus forward several meters, leading it to hit a lamppost and a tree.

Albert Batlle, Barcelona City Council’s deputy mayor for Prevention and Security, confirmed that a formal investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the crash.

The operator of the stationary bus released an official statement:

"The accident on Diagonal Avenue involved one of our coaches performing a discretionary passenger transport service for a cruise company. At the time of the accident, it was stopped in an authorized loading and unloading area when, for reasons still under investigation, a coach from the company F. Canals (Lloret, Girona) hit the back of our vehicle, propelling it forward several meters and causing it to strike a lamppost and tree."