Bus crashes into concrete overpass at Miami airport

A charter bus carrying 32 members of a church group hit a concrete overpass at Miami International Airport after the driver got lost, killing two elderly people on board and leaving three others critically injured, officials said.

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Dec. 1, 2012

Miami International Airport Police and fire rescue personnel investigate the crash of a tour bus containing 32 passengers that struck an overpass at the airport.

GASTON DE CARDENAS / Reuters

Dec. 1, 2012

The large, white bus was too tall for the 8-foot-6-inch entrance to the arrivals area, said airport spokesman Greg Chin. Buses are supposed to go through the departures area, which has a higher clearance, he said.

Wilfredo Lee / AP

Dec. 1, 2012

At the airport, two large signs warn drivers of large vehicles not to pass beneath the concrete overpass. One is attached to the top of the concrete barrier. The other, placed to the left of the driveway and several feet in front of the barrier, says all vehicles higher than the 8-foot-6 threshold must turn left.

Wilfredo Lee / AP

Dec. 1, 2012

Miami International Airport Police and fire rescue personnel prepare to remove the body of a person that was killed in the bus accident.

GASTON DE CARDENAS / Reuters

Dec. 1, 2012

One person died at the scene; the second died later at a hospital. Police said it was not immediately known if charges would be filed.

GASTON DE CARDENAS / Reuters

Dec. 1, 2012

Three people were at hospitals in critical condition. The other 27 surviving passengers were hurt, but their injuries were less extensive, authorities said.

Roberto Koltun / AP

Dec. 1, 2012

Fire trucks and police cars swarmed the area after 8 a.m. Saturday, and the bus was blocked off by yellow police tape. A white cooler that had been filled with water bottles was on its side behind the bus, the front of which remained wedged beneath the overpass for hours before it was towed away.

GASTON DE CARDENAS / Reuters

Dec. 1, 2012

The bus was privately owned and typically used for tours, though police believe all the passengers were local residents, said Miami-Dade police Lt. Rosanna Cordero-Stutz. The driver was unfamiliar with the area near the airport and did not intend to wind up at the arrivals area, Cordero-Stutz said. Investigators were interviewing the driver, she said.

Wilfredo Lee / AP

Dec. 1, 2012

The bus model is commonly used for charters and tours, with the driver seated low to the ground and passenger seats in an elevated area behind the driver’s seat.

Wilfredo Lee / AP

Dec. 1, 2012

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration records found online show the company has had no violations for unsafe driving or controlled substances and alcohol. It also had not reported any crashes in the two years before Oct. 26, 2012.

Wilfredo Lee / AP

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