Holiday Britons return home after coach crash
Eleven of the British holidaymakers involved in an horrific coach crash in Turkey were returning home today after abandoning their breaks in the sun.
The tourists were due back at Manchester airport less than 48 hours after flying out to the popular holiday destination.
Three Britons remain in hospital in Turkey, two with serious head injuries, following the collision between the Airtours coach, another bus and a car during the early hours of yesterday, British Consul Dominic Clissold said.
The accident left five local people dead, including the drivers of the two coaches, and a British man remains in a stable condition in intensive care at the Yucelen Hospital, Mugla, Mr Clissold said.
Another man is in the same hospital being treated for fractures to his arm and leg. His wife is staying with him.
A woman is being treated for serious head injuries at the Ahu Hetman hospital in Marmaris and remains in a stable condition, Mr Clissold confirmed.
Another 11 people were discharged yesterday.
A total of 46 Britons were taken to hospital following the accident in Dogusbelen, near Koycegiz, around 3.15am local time.
It happened during a 90-minute transfer between Dalaman Airport and Marmaris as the tourists prepared to start their holidays after a MyTravel Airways flight.
But 11 people have now decided to return home immediately following the experience, a spokeswoman for Airtours confirmed.
She added: “The vast majority of the passengers have decided to stay on and continue their holidays but 11 have requested to return home and we are bringing them back to Manchester today.”
Another Airtours spokeswoman said those remaining in hospital are from the Lancashire and Stoke-on-Trent areas.
Mr Clissold said his staff were still liaising with those in hospital or recovering at their hotels.
He added: “It is too early to say what happened in the accident and the investigation is in the hands of the Turkish police.”
Survivor and mother of three, Tina Rigg, 37, from Preston, Lancashire, told PA News yesterday: “It was terrifying. We were just driving along this road and suddenly there was a massive bang and the next thing I remember is being pulled through the coach window.
“I struggled to come to and realised what had happened and then just thought ‘I’m alive’.”
Mrs Rigg was starting a two-week holiday with her husband Andrew, 36, children Graeme, Daniel and Shelby, and niece Lisa Rigg-Swindlehurst, eight.
She said she was hoping to return home but it is not known if the family are among the 11 due back today.
Yesterday’s accident was the latest serious crash involving British holidaymakers in the area in the past seven years.
In 1995, Rita Williams, of Tunbridge Wells, Kent, was one of two people who died when a coach carrying First Choice holidaymakers crashed on its way to Dalaman Airport.
The accident happened in Koycegiz, close to yesterday’s smash, and 35 others were injured when the coach collided with a minibus.
In 1999, 20 British tourists heading for a belly dancing show with operator Oracle Tours escaped serious injury when their coach collided with a car and rolled off the road in Soke.
A year previously, British woman Jennifer Smith, of Surrey, was one of six people who died and many more were injured when an Airtours coach collided head-on with a taxi near Izmir.
Any relatives or friends still concerned about yesterday’s incident can call the Airtours hotline – 01706 909050.
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