The Media Line: Bus Overturning, Separate Collision in Negev Leave 28 People Injured  

Bus Overturning, Separate Collision in Negev Leave 28 People Injured   

By The Media Line Staff  

Two traffic accidents involving buses in Israel’s Negev region within a single hour on Thursday morning left 28 people hurt, prompting road closures and the dispatch of emergency services to multiple sites, authorities said.   

The most recent crash occurred on Route 40 between Mitzpe Ramon and Shdema, near the Ramat Eliezer memorial, when a bus carrying 50 passengers overturned. Seventeen people required medical care, most of them suffering minor injuries, while the bus driver and one passenger were reported to be in moderate condition. Following the incident, Route 40 was closed to traffic in both directions as police and rescue teams worked at the scene.   

Earlier, a separate collision involving a bus and a private car occurred near Nevatim, resulting in 11 people requiring treatment. Ten of those affected were described as lightly hurt, while a 29-year-old woman sustained moderate injuries, emergency officials said. Police were deployed to both the Route 40 site and the crash location on Route 25.   

Magen David Adom, Israel’s national emergency medical service, said it received the first report of the Nevatim-area crash at 8:09 a.m. Paramedics were dispatched to provide on-site care before evacuating the injured. At 8:47 a.m., the agency received a second call reporting the overturned bus south of Mitzpe Ramon, triggering the deployment of additional medical teams.   

According to Magen David Adom, all those requiring hospital care from both accidents were transported to Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba for further evaluation and treatment. Emergency responders said the majority of those brought to the hospital were in stable condition.   

Police said initial response efforts focused on securing the accident scenes, managing traffic disruptions, and assisting emergency medical personnel. Investigations were opened into the circumstances surrounding both crashes, though no immediate cause was announced.   

Authorities urged motorists traveling through the Negev to exercise caution, particularly on major routes affected by the accidents, and to follow police instructions while road closures and traffic diversions remained in place.