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Finnish psychologists comfort the familes of the victims of the Benalmádena coach crash
By h.b. - Apr 21, 2008 - 7:54 PM
ALSO SEE : • Three die in road smash after four wheel drive vehicle is stolen in Palos de la Frontera - May 16, 2008 - 7:37 AM
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The acting Finnish Consul in Spain, Hannu Ripatti, speaking in Málaga today - Photo EFE
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Nine Finnish tourists died in the accident which happened on Saturday night on the coach which was taking them back to Málaga airport after their holiday on the Costa del Sol
A group of Red Cross psychologists from Finland have arrived in Málaga to attend to the injured following the horrific coach crash last Saturday night in Benalmádena in which nine Finns, six women, two men and a child were killed and 38 people were injured. It’s now known that DNA evidence was needed to identify four of the dead.

The Finnish team is working across the hospitals which are now treating the injured, the Carlos Haya in Málaga, the Materno-Infantil and Civil, also in Málaga and the Xanit in Benalmádena. 18 people currently remain in hospital, but three of them are expected to be allowed home shortly. Most of them will be allowed to complete their recovery in Finland.
Some 20 family members of the victims have now also arrived in Málaga.

One of the injured in the Carlos Haya Hospital in Málaga - Photo EFE
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The acting Finnish Ambassador to Spain, Hannu Ripatti, met in Málaga this morning with a representative of the Spanish Foreign Ministry to thank the Spanish authorities for the collaboration they had shown.

Meanwhile investigations into the causes of the tragedy continue, with the latest report from the Guardia Civil highlighting that the KIA four by four vehicle which was in collision with the coach was travelling ‘at an excessive speed given the conditions of the road’. However earlier reports that the KIA was overtaking on the inside have now been ruled out. It seems he was overtaking on the left, but lost control on a curve of the road, crashing first with the central crash barrier and then with the back left hand corner of the bus which was in the central lane.

The driver of the car, 27 year old J.G.R. remains in hospital under Guardia Civil arrest, but is not seriously hurt. He was tested for alcohol and proved to be double the legal limit.

Experts are travelling from Madrid to help compile the definitive report on the accident. They will stage a reconstruction using the latest in accident analysis technology.
Meanwhile the Secretary of State for Road Safety, Bartolomé Vargas, who is heading the investigation, has said that he is studying requests for a ‘a harsh and exemplary sentence’ against those found responsible for the accident.

The Prosecutor could ask for a 15 year prison sentence if it’s considered that the driver of the KIA acted with malicious will. If the charge is negligent homicide his sentence could be four years inside.


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