[Click HERE for photos] 5:45PM IL: A motor vehicle accident occurred a short time ago between a bus and a truck traveling on Route 85, Akko to Carmiel. According to reliable but yet unconfirmed first reports from the scene, 5 people have been killed and dozens injures, 15 listed in serious condition.

UPDATE 5:50PM IL: Magen David Adom has declared a multi-casualty incident, dispatching many area ambulances to the scene; both basic life support and advanced life support. Reports from the scene are somewhat confusing with responders arriving and dealing with the large number of injured.

Israel Radio reports at least 30 injured, some apparently trapped in the wreckage. It appears that the bus flipped as a result of the collision.

UPDATE 5:55PM IL: Combined sources are reporting access to the accident site is extremely difficult, involving EMS, fire and police units. Choppers are in the air, EMS and police, and emergency forces are heading to the area as hospital emergency rooms and trauma centers are moving to ready status, waiting to receive the injured from the accident.

UPDATE 6:00PM IL: The bus involved in the MVA on Route 85 is an Egged 361 line. At least 30 people are injured and 5 have been declared DOA on the scene.

UPDATE 6:10PM IL: It appears that the scene of the bus/truck accident on Route 85 is quite difficult, with dozens injured and 5 or more dead. The road is the Akko-Carmiel Road and EMS and other response vehicles are trying to make their way to the scene in the Western Galil.

According to MDA Director-General Eli Bin and others, there are 30+ injured, and access to the scene of the head-in collision is extremely difficult. This is a road without a divider between opposing traffic, and the results on this Thursday evening are tragic indeed. The area of the accident is of course closed and police are working to reroute traffic and assist responders in accessing the scene.

MDA director Eli Bin continues to stress the difficulties being encountered in reaching the injured and a number of people appear trapped inside the bus but firefighters are unable to reach them to begin extrication efforts.

UPDATE 6:15PM IL: YWN-ISRAEL reminds readers that while information is based on credible sources, when receiving ‘real-time’ data one must remember that details are often proven inaccurate as the situation unfolds. There is a continuous stream of information from the scene from MDA and Ichud Hatzalah responders, along with Zaka and Israel police officials.

What does seem certain is that access to the area is extremely complicated and tenuous, with EMS and other responders seeking to reach an unspecified number of victims trapped in the bus.

MDA continues to report on “5 victims in critical condition” while other sources list them as dead. The number of injured varies as well, but it is certain that the accident was quite severe as rescue workers continue struggling with topographical and other realities at the scene, realizing time is working against them as some victims remain trapped in the bus but they are unable to reach them.

UPDATE 6:20PM IL: Ichud (United) Hatzalah reports 5 confirmed dead on the scene and 30 injured in the accident. 20 firemen are working to extricate the trapped bus passengers and assist EMS responders in clearing victims from the area.

The IAF has sent choppers to the area as well as a MDA chopper. Nahariya, Tzfas and Haifa emergency rooms and trauma center have been put on alert to receive injured. MDA’s blood bank in Tel Aviv’s Tel Hashomer Hospital has also been alerted and blood units are being prepared for transport to the north as the injured begin arriving in hospitals.

UPDATE 6:25PM IL: Ichud Hatzalah reports 30 injured, of which 5 are listed in serious condition. The remainder is listed in moderate and light condition. The injured are being transported to the trauma unit of Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center, Nahariya Hospital and Rebecca Ziff Hospital in Tzfas.

Baruch Hashem the report adds that it now appears two people have been killed R”L, not 5 as reported by EMS units on the scene earlier.

UPDATE 6:31PM IL: A Ministry of Transportation source reports the Egged bus struck a semi-trailer parked on the side of the road, and then flipping partially to its side from the impact.

The Egged 361 bus hit the parked truck at about 5:30pm, with the bus traveling from Haifa towards Tzfas. The collision occurred at Glilon Junction on Route 85. The number of dead continues to fluctuate depending on reports and YWN-ISRAEL will refrain from reporting the number of fatalities until Israel Police releases an official number.

MDA reports that 30 accident victims were transported from the scene, with 5 listed in serious condition, 5 moderate and the remainder in light and light-to-moderate condition.

UPDATE 6:40PM IL: Update from Egged spokesman Ron Ratner: The Egged 361 line involved in the accident on Route 85 in the Galil left the Lev HaMifratz Depot at 4:05pm, heading to Carmiel and Tzfas. The driver, who is 25, sustained light injuries in the collision. Egged accident investigators and other officials are operating on the scene, stating it is too early to release any information, but acknowledging the accident is very serious and unfortunately resulted in the loss of life.

UPDATE 7:42PM IL: According to Israel Police, the death toll in the bus accident in the Western Galil has climbed to at least seven. Some reports place that number at eight.

Latest reports indicate the bus appears to have veered from the left lane and struck the semitrailer which was traveling to the right of the bus, not stationary on the shoulder of the road as was reported earlier. The right wall of the bus peeled away and the vehicle became entangled in a portion of the truck. The impact occurred about three kilometers (1.8 miles) east of Gilon Junction.

YWN-ISRAEL will continue providing information on this tragic accident.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)