All but one of the 13 cruise ship passengers involved in a safari bus accident Friday morning on Skyline Drive are back on the Serenade of the Seas cruise ship, according to the V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency.
One passenger sustained a broken hip and will remain in the Schneider Regional Medical Center for treatment. No information was available about the condition of the bus driver.
The bus veered off the road, down a private driveway and over an embankment near Beacon Point about 9:23 a.m., according to Christine Lett, VITEMA public information officer.
Preliminary reports from the scene indicated that two of the passengers were badly injured and the remaining 11 received minor injuries. All were transported to Schneider Regional Medical Center for medical evaluation and treatment.
The Department of Tourism customer care team responded immediately to the accident at the scene and in the hospital to assist the passengers, Allegra Kean-Moorehead, DOT director of Communications, said in a statement. A second passenger received stitches for an injury to the forehead and has returned to the ship, as well. All other passengers will return to the ship to continue their cruise.
The DOT will continue to work with the Schneider Medical Center and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line officials to ensure visitors receive any assistance they may require, Kean-Moorehead said,
The Department of Tourism extended thanks to the emergency personnel who responded to the accident to ensure the well-being of the valued visitors.
The Virgin Islands Police Department and the V.I. Taxicab Commission are investigating the cause of the accident and circumstances surrounding it.
Skyline Drive was closed to traffic between Mafolie Hill and Donoe bypass Friday morning, according to Melody Rames, V.I. Police Department public information officer. Motorists were asked to avoid the area by using Raphune Hill.
Along with V.I. Police Department officers, Rames added that VITEMA, Fire Department and St. Thomas Rescue personnel also responded to the accident.
