Photos: Soldier Dies, Dozens Hurt As Bus Flips On West Bank Road

[Update below.] A woman was killed and tens of others were injured when a bus traveling on Route 458 in the West Bank crashed earlier today. Some of the passengers were trapped inside the armored bus.

Magen David Adom paramedics rushed to the scene and helicopters were called to assist with the evacuation efforts.

Apparently, the driver lost control over the vehicle and the bus rolled over into a ditch on the side of the road. Six people were trapped inside the bus. Their evacuation process took a while since the bus is armored for protection against terror attacks.

Magen David Adom Director General Eli Bin said: “We are using helicopters helicopterd to evacuate the critically injured people to the hospital. The women that was killed was aparently crushed under the wheels of the bus. Most of those who were critically injured suffered head injuries.”

By 13:00, the evacuation of all the injured passengers was completed. Shlomo Petrover, Magen David Adom Yerushalayim District Director, said, “All the injured passengers were conscious and most walked on their feet. The woman that was killed was released from under the bus and unfortunately was pronounced dead after resuscitation efforts failed.” Jerusalem Online

UPDATE, via Times of Israel: An Israeli bus carrying IDF soldiers overturned in the West Bank on Thursday, killing a female soldier and injuring at least 40 other passengers, several seriously.  Magen David Adom paramedics treated the injured at site. They said 41 passengers were hurt, one seriously, three moderately and the remainder suffered minor injuries.

The soldier pronounced dead at the scene was later named as Stav Partush, aged 19, from Ma’ale Adumim. She was set to be buried at Yerushalayim’s Har Herzl military cemetery. Her father, a volunteer fireman, had arrived at the scene of the crash to evacuate the wounded, not knowing his daughter was killed, Channel 2 reported.

The seriously injured passenger was airlifted by helicopter to Beilinson Medical Center in Petah Tikva. The three moderately injured and seven of the lightly injured passengers were airlifted to Tel Hashomer Medical Center near Tel Aviv.

The remainder were taken by ambulance to hospitals in Yerushalayim.

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit confirmed later on Thursday that the private bus was shuttling soldiers from an army base to Jerusalem when it flipped over.

The collision involved a second vehicle, police said.   It was not immediately clear what led to the crash, which occurred on a winding road running through mountainous areas between Ramallah and the Jordan Valley.

{Matzav.com Israel}