The Ministry of Internal Affairs opened a criminal case under part 5 of article 264 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (violation of traffic rules, which inadvertently resulted in the death of two or more persons) after an accident with a regular bus in the Ryazan region.

The incident took place on January 2 at about 5:45 am in the Skopinsky district at the 277th kilometer of the P22 "Caspian" highway.

The department clarified that the Neoplan bus was moving through the Ryazan region in the direction of Astrakhan, and, according to preliminary data, hit a rail bridge support.

There were 49 people in the cabin.

“The road accident killed five people, including a 47-year-old bus driver.

21 people, including two minors, received injuries of varying severity, ”the Interior Ministry said.

Later, the press service of the regional prosecutor's office reported 22 victims.

"22 people were injured, of which 12 were hospitalized, 10 were released home," the press service said.

Police officers are working at the scene of the accident, and there is also the acting head of the Russian MIA Administration for the Ryazan Region, Police Colonel Dmitry Grigoriev.

The Investigative Committee added that the head of the department, Alexander Bastrykin, instructed the acting

Head of the Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the Ryazan Region, Dmitry Malikov, to report on the progress of verification activities carried out upon the fact of an accident.

"According to preliminary data, on the highway in the Skopinsky district of the Ryazan region, a passenger bus collided with the supporting structure of the bridge while driving," the department confirmed.

Investigators work at the scene of the emergency, who establish the circumstances of the incident.

Also on russian.rt.com Five people died: an accident with a bus occurred in the Ryazan region

At the same time, the press service of the regional prosecutor's office reported that the bus driver lost control.

“Previously, I fell asleep,” the department said.

A TASS source in law enforcement added that, according to available information, the driver was sober.

In turn, the press service of the Moscow Railway (MZD) noted that the movement of trains on the railway bridge, into the support of which the bus crashed, is not limited.

The press service of the regional prosecutor's office added that the department is conducting an inspection on the fact of an accident.

"During the inspection, which is entrusted to the Skopinsky interdistrict prosecutor, an assessment will be made of the road carrier's compliance with licensing requirements in the implementation of passenger transportation, and the performance of duties by the organization responsible for the condition of the specified section of the road will be checked," the department stressed.

The regional prosecutor's office also took control of the investigation of the criminal case.

The prosecutor's office of the Astrakhan region also conducts its check.

"During the inspection, an assessment will be made of the road carrier's compliance with license requirements in the implementation of passenger transportation," the ministry said.

As the press secretary of the governor of the Ryazan region Denis Arapov said, temporary accommodation points (TAP) were opened for passengers.

“Some of the passengers have already been taken away by their relatives, some have left on a ride.

Those who needed help were hospitalized, ”he said.

First Deputy Prime Minister of the region Anna Roslyakova clarified that there are 19 people in the TAP, they have been provided with hot meals.

She added that some of the passengers will be transported to Astrakhan by another bus.

“A bus left for the people who were not injured, they will be taken to Astrakhan,” she said.

The Governor of the Ryazan Region Nikolai Lyubimov expressed condolences to the families and friends of those killed in the accident. 

“There was an accident on the federal highway with the participation of a regular bus Moscow - Astrakhan.

I offer my sincere condolences to the families of the victims, ”he wrote on his VKontakte page.

The first deputy chairman of the government, Anna Roslyakova, the regional health minister Andrei Prilutsky, and the acting head of the Russian Emergencies Ministry's Main Directorate for the Ryazan Region, Alexander Vorobyov, went to the scene of the accident, the governor said.

Lyubimov added that he ordered to provide all the necessary assistance to the victims.

The head of the regional Ministry of Health, Andrei Prilutsky, noted that three victims of an accident are in intensive care and will be delivered to Ryazan by a medical helicopter by the end of the day on January 2.

He also added that the two injured children are in satisfactory condition and will remain under medical supervision for now.