Bus carrying Humboldt Broncos hockey team involved in crash; fatalities reported
A bus carrying a Canadian junior hockey team was involved in a crash Friday in Saskatchewan, with an unspecified number of fatalities and injuries reported.
Details were still unavailable as Saturday approached, but it was clear that the community of Humboldt, Sask., was devastated — and all of Canada was in mourning.
“We are just in utter disbelief and shock at the loss that’s fallen upon us,” Kevin Garinger, president of the Humboldt Broncos, a team of players age 16 to 21, told CBC. He said he learned of the accident through a phone call from a fan.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed there were fatalities in the crash on a highway in Tisdale, Sask. They said that about 5 p.m. local time a semi-tractor collided with the team’s bus.
The Nipawin Hawks hockey team, which was supposed to play the Broncos on Friday night, announced on Facebook that the game was canceled.
“The accident being talked about involved Humboldt team bus,” the Hawks announced on Facebook. “We ask during this time that you don’t send messages. When more information is given we will update.”
Myles Shumlanski, father of Broncos player Nick Shumlanski, told the Saskatoon Star Phoenix he went to the scene after getting a call from his son.
“It was a disaster,” he said. “We had a crane lifting the bus.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed his sympathy to the Humboldt community in a tweet, saying he was “unable to imagine” what the team’s parents must be going through.
Humboldt Mayor Rob Muench told CBC he was devastated.
“It’s going to hit the community hard,” he said. “It’s not a good day for Humboldt.”
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe tweeted that there were no words to describe the loss.
“To the City of Humboldt, the entire Broncos organization, and the families impacted by this tragedy, please know you are in Saskatchewan’s hearts,” he wrote. “Tonight we must pray for these families.”
The Nipawin Apostolic Church was serving as gathering place for families to receive more information as it became available, the RCMP said.
“We just opened our building here with food and drinks … they can come if they need somewhere to go or someone to talk to,” Nipawin Apostolic Church Pastor Jordan Gadsby told the Star Phoenix. “There’s not a lot of confirmed information at this point. Families are just waiting to hear from their kids.
Source:-http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/04/07/bus-carrying-humboldt-broncos-hockey-team-involved-in-crash-fatalities-reported.html
