Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) is going to Madeira this Thursday after the deadly bus accident. He will arrive with a team of doctors, psychologists and consular officers of the Foreign Office. He wanted to talk to those affected and thank the "Portuguese friends" for their help.
A tourist bus in the municipality of Caniço had turned off the lane in a curve and crashed into an empty house. At least 29 people were killed.
The Foreign Minister said there was "still no certainty" about the number of German victims. The German Embassy in Lisbon is working with the local authorities on the Enlightenment. The ambassador of the Federal Republic had meanwhile landed on the island. Both in Berlin and on the ground, a crisis team was set up.
Respect for the relatives
Chancellery Minister Helge Braun told reporters that the number of German victims was disregarded only after the relatives had been informed. "The federal government is doing everything it can to ensure that there is certainty for the relatives," said Braun. It was "a group of mainly German tourists" affected.
The cause of the accident is unclear. The prosecutor initiated an investigation. According to media reports, a mechanical problem could have been the reason - either a brake failure or a trapped accelerator pedal. The vice-president of the regional government, Pedro Calado, described any assumptions as premature.