How Malta Responded To The Żurrieq Tourist Bus Tragedy
Malta was shaken two days ago when a double-decker tourist bus crashed into a tree branch in Żurrieq, killing two people and injuring several others. While police are still investigating the accident, people have already started suggesting solutions to prevent the accident from repeating itself.
A woman uploaded a video on her Facebook page of a tree hanging dangerously near the Lija cemetery. The video went viral and prompted the Civil Protection Department to cordon off the area and eventually to chop off the protruding tree branch.
Photo: Baskal Mallia
However, people later pointed out that the tree in question had long stood there but only became a nuisance to drivers when the pavement was reduced in size as part of recent road-widening works.
Some people flagged other trees across Malta as accidents waiting to happen.
However, some people stuck up for the trees and pointed their fingers at double-decker buses instead.
These included Nationalist MP Mario de Marco, who urged Transport Malta to instantly suspend the operations of open-top buses pending a review by the health and safety authorities.
Meanwhile, controversy erupted over a cartoon drawn by Seb Tanti Burlo, which satirised the accident using the ‘Oh My Malta’ slogan that has been popularised by vlogger NasDaily. Several people accused Tanti Burlo of taking the mickey out of a very sensitive situation, but the cartoonist responded that the cartoon was not intended to be funny and that he found it “fucking horrible”.
Two people, a 37-year-old Spanish woman and a 62-year-old Belgian man, were killed when the double-decker tourist bus crashed into a low-lying tree branch on Monday afternoon. Fifty people, including twelve children, suffered injuries in the accident but most have since been discharged. As of yesterday, four tourists, including two children, are still in critical condition.
What do you think can be done to prevent this accident from repeating itself?
READ NEXT: Deadly Tourist Bus Crash In Żurrieq: Twelve Children Treated In Emergency Department