VENICE: Twenty-one people including children and women met a tragic end when a tourist bus plunged off a bridge and erupted in flames. This bus accident occurred on a Tuesday night when the vehicle collided with the barrier on the bridge plummeting 50 feet onto the railway track below.

The bus ferrying tourists tumbled from the bridge that connects Mestre to Venice. As of now, the authorities have identified five Ukrainian nationals, one German national and an Italian driver among the casualties. The mayor of Venice has expressed deep sorrow in response to this tragic incident.

Rescue workers have informed the international media that the death toll might continue to rise. Among the deceased, three were children and among the fifteen people who sustained injuries, five are in critical condition. There was a total of thirty-nine people on board the bus.

The majority of the passengers on the bus were foreign tourists who had come to explore the historically significant sites in Venice and its vicinity. Notably, the bus involved in the accident was a hybrid vehicle utilizing both electric battery and methane gas.

Based on preliminary information, it appears that the bus's gas tank exploded after it fell from the bridge leading to the fire. The presence of battery explosions further complicated the rescue operation. Nevertheless, authorities have yet to ascertain how the bus veered off the bridge which was equipped with a metal barrier. Additionally, it has been suggested that the 70-year-old bus driver attempted to brake the vehicle after failing to notice any road signs potentially playing a role in the accident.