Anne Lucey
A rigid truck carrying a crane and a bus full of tourists are among a number of vehicles involved in a collision in Co Kerry.
At least one person was seriously injured in the road crash which also involved a van and a car.
Emergency services, including several ambulances, attended the scene at Loo Bridge on the R569 to Kilgarvan/Kenmare regional road near Killarney this morning shortly before 11am.
The windows of the tour bus, in particular the front, shattered in the collision with the truck carrying a crane.
It is understood the machine penetrated the window in the collision with the 52-seater bus carrying 29 adults.
The driver of one vehicle has been taken to Cork University Hospital by air ambulance with serious injuries.
Passengers were treated at the scene and fire services from Kenmare, Killarney and Macroom attended, along with up to seven ambulances from Cork and Kerry. The West Cork Rapid Response doctor also attended.
The tourists were removed onto another bus and they returned to base.
In all, a total of eight people were injured with a number on the bus suffering from glass-related injuries, including eye injuries. A second person has also been hospitalised at UHK Tralee.
Gardaí are at the scene and the road will be closed for several hours, a spokesperson confirmed.
"Gardaí are currently at the scene of a two vehicle road traffic collision that occurred at approximately 10.50am on the 31st May 2022 at Loo Bridge, Co Kerry," they said.
"The driver of one vehicle has been taken to Cork University Hospital with serious injuries. The road is currently closed and will remain closed this afternoon."
