At least five people were killed in an accident with a coach on the Autobahn 9 near Leipzig. Police said several others were injured. The police said that the driver of the bus was not among the dead. Details of his condition were not disclosed.

The accident took place around 9.45 am. After a while, hospitals in the area prepared for a large-scale operation. Operating theaters and diagnostic rooms are prepared and available at the Deaconess Hospital in Leipzig.

Coach from FlixBus It left the road between the Wiedemar junction and the Schkeuditzer Kreuz and fell on its side. He was on his way from Berlin to Zurich. According to FlixBus, there were 53 passengers and two drivers on board.

The cause is still unknown – there is also the question of whether other vehicles were involved. Several rescue helicopters and numerous ambulances are in use. The highway is closed on both sides. A police spokesman said the rescue operation could continue till evening.

Anxiety after an accident

Saxony's transport minister Martin Dulig (SPD) was appalled. “My thoughts are with the victims and relatives of the injured. I would like to thank the many emergency services on site who provided quick assistance,” he said. A FlixBus spokesman said: “Our thoughts are with all those affected by this accident and their families.” We are working closely with local authorities and rescue workers, and all efforts are being made to quickly and fully clarify the cause of the accident.

Saxony's Interior Minister Armin Schuster (CDU) also expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. He also hoped that the injured would recover soon. Schuster thanked the rescuers for their professional efforts. It was a “difficult situation” that was “handled brilliantly,” he said. He saw on the faces of the firefighters “how difficult these scenes are.”

Schkeuditzer Kreuz is located at Leipzig/Halle Airport. The A 9 is an important north-south highway connecting the cities of Berlin and Munich.