Seventeen people were injured early on Friday morning when a coach veered off the northbound M40 slip road at junction seven near Thame, Oxfordshire, and overturned in thick fog.
The incident occurred at around 2:45am amid heavy fog conditions, causing the Oxford Bus Company coach to lose control and flip over.
The South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) declared the event a “major incident” due to the number of casualties involved. A spokesman said, “The male coach driver and 16 adult passengers suffered various injuries, including cuts, bruises, and broken bones.” All injured were transported to John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford for treatment.
Emergency response teams deployed six ambulances, a rapid response vehicle, three ambulance officers, and a hazardous area response team to assist at the scene.
SCAS highlighted that the dense fog created significant challenges for emergency crews trying to reach the location. Mick Clarke from Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service described the situation as “still dynamic” and confirmed that all 17 casualties had been safely removed from the coach.
Clarke explained the M40’s particular terrain, where valleys and elevation changes can quickly produce thick fog banks: “You can be driving in clear conditions, then suddenly hit dense fog. The freezing temperatures this week have made the roads slippery and dangerous.”
Thames Valley Police confirmed that the slip road will remain closed for several hours while recovery operations and investigations continue.
This is not the first time a crash of this nature has occurred at this location. A similar coach crash six years ago at the same spot also resulted in 17 people being hospitalised.
The Met Office has issued a yellow fog warning across southern England, cautioning drivers about poor visibility expected throughout the day.
Originally published by UKNIP.
