The horrific crash in Manitoba that left 15 people dead happened when a passenger bus drove into the path of an oncoming semi truck on the Trans-Canada highway.
“We have obtained video footage of the collision that was seized from the semi truck trailer,” said RCMP Superintendent Rob Lasson. “This video indicates that the bus entered the roadway where the semi trailer truck had the right of way,” Lasson told a news conference the afternoon of June 16.
However, he cautioned it is too early to assign blame.
“We are not assigning culpability or laying any blame at this time,” said Lasson. “We are merely stating the facts as we know them. The investigation is still ongoing with a lot of work to do.”
Lasson said the video is from a dash cam mounted at the front of the semi, and investigators are trying to learn everything they can from it.
“Extensive analysis is being done on the video before any further determinations are made,” said Lasson. “At this time we don’t know why the bus proceeded into the lane … that is something that we’re going to continue to look into.”
He added RCMP have spoken to the driver of the truck, although not to the driver of the bus, who is still in hospital, and have seized both vehicles involved for further investigation.
“We’re determining whether the semi had an event data recorder that will help us ascertain a number of critical pieces of information such as speed, exact coordinates, and the mechanical status of the vehicle,” said Lasson. Investigators have also taken witness statements from passing motorists, which corroborate what RCMP saw in the video.
Lasson added the 10 people injured in hospital have all been identified, which means anyone else on board the bus is presumed deceased.
He said the age of people on the bus ranged from 58 years old to 88, with 19 women and six men. Six women survived the crash, and four men.
Shared Health, which is Manitoba’s health authority, said the 10 patients who remain hospitalized are being cared for at Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg, and at Brandon Regional Health Centre.
“Of those patients, six are in a critical care unit and four are being cared for in a surgical unit,” Shared Health said in a news release.
Investigators have started the process of identifying the bodies of those killed, but it is going to take time. Dr. John Younes, Manitoba’s chief medical examiner, said his office will use fingerprints, dental records, surgical history, and as a last resort DNA to help confirm the identities of those killed.
“The worst possible outcome for us is to mistakenly identify someone and give wrong information to families,” said Younes. He said if all goes well, they hope to have all the victims identified by the middle of next week. He said most of them suffered significant trauma, which makes a visual identification impossible.
“Presently we have three investigators working full time on this case, trying to gather all the information we’ll need to make the identification,” he said, adding it’s the worst mass casualty event he’s ever seen.
Lasson said a second support centre for the families of victims has been set up, this one in Winnipeg.
“Last night, RCMP officers spoke to every single family. After hearing the emotions and concerns of the families, the RCMP has now set up a second family support center. So now we have one in Dauphin and one in Winnipeg,” he said.
He added he is not sure how long the investigation will take but cautioned it could be months before police have learned all they can.
“These investigations can actually take longer than three months … it depends on what we find. We’re finding new information all the time,” said Lasson.
The deadly crash happened the morning of June 15, near the town of Carberry in southwestern Manitoba.
RCMP said the semi was travelling east on the Trans-Canada Highway when it collided with the bus, which was heading south on Highway 5.
The bus was carrying mostly seniors from Dauphin on a day trip to a casino when the collision happened.
In Ottawa on Friday, a moment of silence for the crash victims was observed at the end of question period in the House of Commons.
The flag on the Peace Tower has been lowered to half mast in honour of the victims.
Lasson said it has also been a very difficult time for the RCMP officers involved in the case.
“Our most heartfelt sympathies are with the families who have learned today that their loved one died in this horrific collision. Please know that the RCMP is here for you and we are grieving alongside you,” he said.
