Granada, Spain— A chartered tourist bus overturned on a mountainous road in Spain on October 31, 2026, injuring 12 people and triggering a difficult rescue on a steep hairpin bend.
The crash happened at 1:20 p.m. on the A-395 near Sierra Nevada, above Granada. The bus was carrying 38 tourists from Germany and the Netherlands to a ski resort viewpoint. The road is narrow, with tight bends and no guardrail in places. The bus was on a downhill left turn when its rear wheels slipped on wet leaves.
Guardia Civil said the bus tilted, then rolled onto its side and slid 15 meters before hitting a rock wall that stopped it from going over the edge. Windows shattered. Luggage spilled. Passengers were thrown against seats and the ceiling. Twelve were injured, three seriously with fractures and head wounds.
The driver, a 52-year-old Spaniard, was uninjured and tested negative for alcohol. He told police he braked but the bus did not grip. He said the road was slick after morning rain. Passengers said the bus was going too fast for the bend. Police said they would examine the tachograph and brakes.
Rescue was complicated by altitude and slope. The road was blocked. Ambulances could not turn. Firefighters from Granada had to carry stretchers 200 meters uphill. Two rescue helicopters landed on a flat section below the crash. The seriously injured were airlifted to Granada hospital.
Other passengers waited in cold wind for an hour. They were wrapped in blankets handed out by the Red Cross. One woman said she thought they would fall off the mountain. Another said children were screaming. The tour operator sent a second bus but it could not reach the site.
The A-395 was closed for five hours. Traffic backed up for kilometers. Ski resort workers were stuck. The road is known for accidents. Locals have asked for better barriers and speed bumps. The province said it had resurfaced the section last year but did not add guardrails.
The bus company said the vehicle passed inspection in September and had new tires. It said the driver had 20 years experience on mountain routes. It said it would cooperate with investigators.
By evening, the bus was uprighted by a crane and towed away. The road reopened with caution. The 12 injured were reported stable. The rest of the tourists were taken to a hotel in Granada.
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