Decision Made to Arrest Driver of Crashed Bus in Syunik Region

The circumstances surrounding the crash of a bus transporting Iranian tourists in the Syunik region, which resulted in the deaths of five individuals, are being clarified. A decision has been made to arrest the driver.

It was reported that on April 27, 2024, around 1:30 PM, a tourist bus of the "Scania" brand, belonging to the Islamic Republic of Iran, veered off the roadway and rolled into a gorge on the 18th km of the Kapan-Yerevan highway, resulting in casualties and injuries.

In connection with the incident, the Syunik Regional Investigation Department of the RA Investigative Committee initiated criminal proceedings under Part 3 of Article 342 of the RA Criminal Code on April 27, 2024. The investigation has been entrusted to an investigative team. An inspection of the crash site was conducted, during which four bodies were discovered, and one body had already been transported to the Kapan medical center.

The investigation revealed that there were a total of 26 individuals on board the bus at the time of the accident, including 23 passengers, 2 drivers, and 1 assistant. Five individuals have died, and preliminary data indicates that they are citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Ten people, including the driver who was operating the bus prior to the accident, were transferred to the Kapan medical center with varying degrees of bodily injuries.

During the investigation, forensic examinations of the bodies have been assigned, witnesses have been interrogated, and inspections have been carried out. As a result of urgent investigative and procedural actions, initial information has been obtained indicating that the bus with tourists arrived in Yerevan from the Islamic Republic of Iran on April 25.

On April 27, around 11 AM, the bus departed from Yerevan to return the tourists to Iran. After traveling a certain distance from the Tatev Monastery and making several turns, the driver reported that the brakes were failing and stopped the vehicle using the handbrake. The driver and one passenger got off the bus to place an object under the wheel and secure the brakes; however, within seconds, the bus broke free, began to move forward approximately 30-50 meters, hit and tore through the protective metal barrier, and rolled into the gorge.

On April 27, 2024, a decision was made to arrest the driver of the crashed "Scania" tourist bus, H.G.H., based on the presence of reasonable suspicion. The driver's sobriety was checked, and it was found that he was in a sober state.

The investigation is ongoing, and necessary measures are being taken to clarify the circumstances of the incident and the causes of the accident, including considering the peculiarities of the terrain, compliance with vehicle operation and traffic rules by the driver, possibilities to prevent the accident, and to provide a legal assessment of his actions.