Driver dies at wheel during coach trip in Germany

Dec 24 2009 by Sophie Doughty, The Journal

A TYNESIDE coach driver suffered a heart attack and died while driving a bus full of schoolchildren.

The 49-year-old was driving the youngsters across Germany when tragedy struck shortly after midnight yesterday.

The driver, from Newcastle, lost control of the bus, which veered into the centre of the road in a small town in Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, in the south-west of Germany.

Medics at the scene were able to revive him for a short time. But the driver passed away in hospital an hour later. None of the other 42 people on the coach, including 34 pupils aged 13 to 18 from a Liverpool school, were injured.

Police on Tyneside were yesterday informing the driver’s family of his death.

The driver worked for Keith’s Coaches which is based in Blucher Village, Newcastle.

Last night the company’s boss Keith Grimes said: “One of our drivers on the vehicle suffered a heart attack whilst in control of the vehicle. He later passed away.

“No other passengers on board were injured.