Ten elderly holidaymakers were taken to Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar yesterday evening with injuries received when the coach in which they were travelling on a day's outing from Dublin left the road at a narrow junction near Newport. The front wheel of the coach is believed to have become stuck in the verge, which collapsed causing the coach to topple over into the ditch.
Most of the 32 passengers were trapped inside the vehicle for a short time until an ambulance bound for Achill was diverted to the scene. Ambulance personnel broke the rear window of the coach and rescued them. Seven ambulances were deployed from Belmullet, Ballina and Castlebar.
The Western Health Board last night implemented an emergency accident plan to cater for the victims, some of whom are suspected of having spinal injuries. A number of the remaining passengers were treated for shock. The driver of the coach escaped uninjured.