Scotland: 30 injured as coach carrying pensioners on a day trip overturns
Thirty people have been injured after a coach overturned on the west coast of Scotland.
The coach was transporting 51 pensioners from Kent on a day trip to Inveraray, a town on the western shore of Loch Fyne.
The crash happened at about 2.10pm on the A83 in Argyll - known as the Rest and be Thankful.
Road Policing Inspector Adam McKenzie, from Police Scotland, confirmed the reports in a statement saying: "A tour bus which was heading through Argyll was struck by a very strong gust of wind which unfortunately blew it on to the muddy verge, causing the bus to flip on its side and roll down the hill coming to a rest at the side of Loch Restil. Fifty one persons were on board and thankfully we can account for every single person."
Transport Minister Derek Mackay said: "Scottish Ministers have been kept fully informed of this serious incident across the afternoon and our immediate thoughts are with the passengers who have been transported to hospital. The emergency services have been working closely with helicopters from both Prestwick and Lossiemouth as well as mountain rescue teams and a rest centre has been set up in 'Three Villages Hall' in Arrochar to help the walking wounded.
"The A83, at The Rest and Be Thankful, remains closed to allow the investigation into what caused the accident to get under way."
Twenty-five of those injured were described as "walking wounded" while five were said to be in a serious condition.
The Ministry of Defence said a Royal Navy helicopter from HMS Gannet has air-lifted passengers to hospital.
The most seriously hurt were taken to the Southern General in Glasgow and the Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH) in Paisley.
Images on social media show the bus standing upright on an embankment, next to a loch.
The A83 has been closed while emergency services deal with the incident.
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