Six people have been killed and two young children hospitalized with serious injuries after a section of a road collapsed near Crimea's regional capital of Simferopol.
A Russian-made Lada carrying eight people fell into a crater about 8 meters wide and 6-8 meters deep after the road caved in on Sunday, the Interfax news agency reported, citing a spokesman for the Emergency Situations Ministry's regional branch.
Four adults and two children were killed in the accident and two more children — a 1-year-old boy and his 12-year-old sister — were hospitalized, the spokesman added.
Doctors had apparently considered airlifting the boy for treatment in Moscow, but his injuries were deemed too serious to move him, Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets said, Interfax reported.
The section of highway that collapsed ran over an underground railroad and also sent ground and rocks tumbling into the tunnel, blocking the rail line, Crimea's regional Deputy Transportation Minister Anatoly Tsurkin was quoted as saying.
The families of the victims will be compensated 400,000 rubles ($10,000) per victim, with the same amount due to be paid out for each of the injured parties, the Crimean government said Sunday in an online statement.
The regional Investigative Committee has opened a criminal inquiry into the road collapse on charges of manslaughter.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
