British man dies in Canary Islands tourist bus crash

A British man died and dozens of others were injured when a tourist bus crashed into a ravine in the Canary Islands.

The bus carrying 27 British tourists crashed on the island of La Gomera shortly after 1pm, leaving four people seriously injured and one man dead, according to the local government.

The Foreign Office confirmed on Friday evening that the man who died in the crash was a British national.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who died in the bus accident in the Canary Islands and are in contact with the local authorities.”

Emergency services were deployed to the scene of the crash off the GM-2 road in San Sebastian de La Gomera, on the island of La Gomera, on the east coast on Friday, the 112 Canarias official account posted on X.

Photographs shared by the Canary Islands government on social media appear to show the bus had come off the road at a hairpin bend, coming to rest in a ravine.

A 73-year-old man and a 42-year-old man who suffered traumatic injuries were taken to Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe Hospital in San Sebastian de La Gomera, before both were transferred by helicopter to hospitals in Tenerife, officials said.

Two seriously injured people were taken to Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe Hospital, along with 23 others with minor injuries.

In a post on X, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said her thoughts are with those affected by the “tragic” incident, adding the Government is in touch with local authorities and “ready to support” Britons and their families.

She said: “My thoughts are with those affected by the tragic incident involving a bus carrying British holidaymakers in the Canary Islands.

“We are in touch with the local authorities & ready to support Brits & their families, who can contact the FCDO on +44 20 7008 5000 or +34 928 262 508.”

Just after 1pm, emergency services received reports a bus had come off the road and slid down a slope.

Firefighters, police, the Spanish Red Cross and several ambulances, including an air ambulance, were among the emergency responders who attended to the British tourists and driver.

At 2pm, a state of alert issued by the Canary Islands government in response to the incident came into force.

Shortly after, president of the Canary Islands Fernando Clavijo posted on X to express support for the victims and their families.