Updated 6.50am Tuesday with statement from City Sightseeing

Two tourists were killed, six others were critically injured, and 44 were treated on Monday afternoon when a double-decker tourist bus hit low-lying tree branches in Żurrieq.

Tourists sitting on the bus' open-air top deck were hurt when they were hit by branches from the tree on Valletta Road, sources told Times of Malta.

Two of those struck - a Belgian man, 62 and a Spanish woman, 37 - died on the spot, with six others critically hurt, Health Minister Chris Fearne confirmed.

The police said three of the six critically injured were Britons - two boys aged six and eight and a man aged 44. The others were a German woman, 31, an Italian woman, 72, and a 35-year-old man whose nationality is not yet known.

It is not known whether the tree branches the bus hit had been damaged by Sunday night's gale-force winds.

Emergency crews rush an injured passenger into an ambulance. Photo: Jonathan Borg

A fleet of 10 ambulances was dispatched to the scene at 4.15pm and Mater Dei Hospital started emergency protocol preparations following the incident. A specially set up helpline with number +356 2545 4286 was set up.

Unhurt passengers, still in shock as they processed the afternoon's events, were taken away shortly after 5.30pm.

50 people given medical treatment

Mr Fearne said 50 people had been been given medical treatment, 19 at Paola health centre and the rest at Mater Dei Hospital. All were foreigners except the driver.

Twelve of the injured being treated are children. Most of the injuries are to the head and upper body.

Mr Fearne thanked all rescuers and medical crews and said that despite the major accident, the Emergency Department continued to operate normally.

In a statement, police said that the driver was a 24-year-old man. Sources told Times of Malta that it was the young driver's first work shift since returning to the job he had first done last summer.

Passengers are taken to hospital for a check-up.

In parliament, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat expressed his condolences to the victims’ families and solidarity with the injured. He also thanked the first responders for their service.

The Opposition and the Speaker echoed the same sentiments.

Hop-on, hop-off tourist buses have grown in popularity in recent years as they allow holiday-makers to tour Malta's various attractions, alighting as they please.

This was the second traffic incident involving roadside trees this year. In February, a driver was killed when a tree crushed his car in Mrieħel during stormy weather.

Video: Jonathan Borg

An ambulance at the scene. Photo: Jonathan Borg

City Sightseeing statement

A spokesman for City Sightseeing said in a statement: “We are shocked and saddened to learn that a vehicle operated by our Maltese franchise holder has been involved in a serious accident.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with all of those affected by this tragic event.

“We are communicating with our franchise operator with a view to establishing the full facts of the situation, and are not in a position to comment further at this time.”</s>Two dead, six critical, as tourist bus hits low-lying branches in Malta

Two tourists were killed, six others were critically injured, and 44 were treated on Monday afternoon when a double-decker tourist bus hit low-lying tree branches in Żurrieq.

Tourists sitting on the bus' open-air top deck were hurt when they were hit by branches from the tree on Valletta Road, sources told Times of Malta.

Two of those struck - a Belgian man, 62 and a Spanish woman, 37 - died on the spot, with six others critically hurt, Health Minister Chris Fearne confirmed.</s>VALLETTA, Malta — An open-top double-decker tourist bus slammed into a low-hanging tree branch in Malta on Monday, killing two people and injuring 45 others, including a dozen children.

The accident happened in Zurrieq, a popular tourist destination just outside the capital Valletta that is famous for its ruins and “blue grotto.”

Health Minister Chris Fearne said most of the passengers hailed from Belgium or Britain. Of the 45 injured, 12 were children, including two critically injured youngsters. The two passengers who were killed, and most of those who were injured, had been sitting on the top deck when the bus hit the tree branch.

Such hop-on, hop-off buses are common for sightseeing around Malta.

The 24-year-old bus driver was not hurt.</s>VALLETTA, Malta (AP) — An open-top double-decker tourist bus has slammed into a low-hanging tree branch in Malta, killing two people and injuring six others on the top deck.

The accident happened in Zurrieq, a popular tourist destination just outside the capital Valletta that is famous for its ruins and “blue grotto.” Tourists sightseeing around Malta typically use the type of hop-on, hop-off bus involved in the incident.

Malta police didn’t immediately identify the dead or say how many people were on the bus. The 24-year-old bus driver was not hurt.

More details were expected at a police briefing later Monday.</s>Rescue workers retrieve a tourist's body from the top of an open top, double-decker sightseeing bus after it crashed into some low-lying tree branches, in Zurrieq Thomson Reuters VALLETTA (Reuters) - A 62-year-old Belgian man and a 37-year-old Spanish woman were killed and six other tourists critically injured in Malta on Monday when a double-decker tourist bus hit low-hanging tree branches, police said.

Health Minister Chris Fearne said three of the badly injured were Britons - two boys aged six and eight, and a man aged 44. The others were a German woman, 31, an Italian woman, 72, and a 35-year-old man whose nationality is not yet known.

The accident happened at Zurrieq, 16 km (10 miles) from Valletta, on a road frequently used by tourist buses. Local media reported the branches may have been lower than usual because of damage from gale-force winds on Sunday night.

The tourists were sitting on the open top deck of the bus.

Rescuers used cranes to lift the injured on stretchers from the top deck.</s>VALLETTA, Malta (AP) — An open-top double-decker tourist bus slammed into a low-hanging tree branch in Malta on Monday, killing two people and injuring 50 others, including a dozen children.

The accident happened in Zurrieq, a popular tourist destination just outside the capital that is famous for its ruins and "blue grotto."

Police said the two passengers who died were a 37-year-old Spanish woman and a 62-year-old Belgian man. They and most of the people injured were sitting on the top deck when the bus hit the branch.

Health Minister Chris Fearne said most of the passengers hailed from Belgium or Britain, though police said the seriously injured also included a German and an Italian.

Twelve of the 50 people hurt were children, two of whom suffered critical injuries.

The 24-year-old bus driver was not hurt.

Hop-on, hop-off buses are common for sightseeing in major cities in the United States and Europe.

In November 2015, 19 people were injured when a double-decker tour bus in San Francisco crashed into pedestrians, vehicles and construction scaffolding.

San Francisco police concluded the driver of the open-top bus had been going too fast.</s>Share this article with Google Plus

Three British tourists have been injured after a sightseeing bus crashed into low-lying tree branches in Malta.

A Spanish woman and a Belgian man were killed after the double decker vehicle crashed into a tree in Zurrieq, in the south of the country.

Local authorities said the three Britons, two boys aged six and eight and a 44-year-old man, were among six people taken to hospital.

The other three are a 31-year-old German woman, a 72-year-old Italian woman and a 35-year-old-man whose nationality remains unknown.

On their Facebook page the Malta Police Force said: ‘These persons were also certified as suffering from grievous injuries.’

All of the injured have been taken to the Mater Dei hospital.

Officers were called to the Valletta Road at around 4.15pm local time on Monday and the force said a preliminary investigation showed the 24-year-old man driving the bus had lost control before crashing into a tree.

Police said their investigation is ongoing.

A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: ‘We are supporting British people and their families involved in the bus incident in Malta.’

MORE: First-time mum reveals how she gave birth to a ‘teenage’ girl

MORE: Pictured: ‘Accomplice’ of burglar stabbed to death by pensioner</s>Rescue workers retrieve a body from the top of an open top, double-decker sightseeing bus after it crashed into some low-lying tree branches, in Zurrieq, Malta April 9,2018. REUTERS/Darrin Zammit Lupi
• Two people have died and 50 have been injured in a bus crash in Malta.
• Six people have been hospitalised, including two British children aged six and eight.

Three British tourists including two young children have been injured in a deadly bus crash in Malta.

Two people have died and 50 were injured after an open-top double-decker tourist bus crashed into a low-hanging tree branch.

A Spanish woman and a Belgian man were killed after the vehicle crashed in Zurrieq, in the south of the country.

Local authorities said three Britons, including two boys aged six and eight, were among six people taken to hospital.

Maltese Health Minister Chris Fearne said most of the passengers on board the bus hailed from Belgium or Britain.

Zurrieq, a popular tourist destination just outside the capital Valletta, is famous for its ruins and "blue grotto".

Of the 50 injured, twelve were children, including two critically-injured youngsters. Most of those who were injured had been sitting on the top deck.

The 24-year-old bus driver was not hurt in the incident.

Dramatic images from the scene showed the open-top bus in the road as emergency services surrounded the area.

A Foreign Office spokesman told the Standard: "We are doing everything we can to support British citizens involved in the bus crash in Malta."

Additional reporting by the Associated Press</s>Three Britons including two children are among 50 people injured after a fatal bus crash in Malta, local police have said.

A 37-year-old Spanish woman and a Belgian man, 62, were killed after the open-top double decker smashed into a low hanging tree branch.

The crash in the southern town of Zurrieq left a dozen children injured.

The three British people taken to hospital were a 44-year-old man and two boys aged six and eight.

Malta's health minister Chris Fearne said most of the passengers were from the UK or Belgium.

A German woman, 31, an Italian woman, 72, and a 35-year-old man whose nationality is unknown were also taken to the Mater Dei hospital for treatment.

Emergency service workers used cranes to lift the injured onto stretchers from the top deck.

The Malta Police Force said: "These persons were also certified as suffering from grievous injuries."

Officers were called out at around 4.15pm local time on Monday.

Police said a preliminary investigation showed the 24-year-old man driving the bus had lost control before crashing into the branch.

The driver is reported to have not suffered any injuries.

Local media reports suggested tree branches may have been lower than usual because of damage from gale-force winds on Sunday night.

Police said their investigation is ongoing.

A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: "We are urgently seeking more information from the Maltese authorities following an incident involving a bus.

"We stand ready to provide assistance to any British people involved."

Zurrieq is a popular tourist destination outside the capital Valletta that is famous for its ruins.</s>Two people have died and 50 have been hurt after a double-decker tourist bus crashed into a low-hanging tree branch in Malta.

A dozen children are among the injured - including two who are critically hurt.

Six people are reported to be in a critical condition, including three Britons.

Most of the passengers were from the UK and Belgium. According to the Times of Malta, a Belgian man and a Spanish woman died.

Police on the island said the critically injured Britons were two boys aged six and eight and a 44-year-old man.

The other seriously hurt passengers were a German woman, 31, and an Italian woman, 72.

A 35-year-old, meanwhile, is also seriously injured - but his nationality is not known.

The accident happened in Zurrieq, a popular tourist destination just outside the capital Valletta that is famous for its ruins and 'blue grotto.'

Health Minister Chris Fearne said the 62-year-old Belgian man and 37-year-old Spanish woman died instantly after being hit by the branches.

According to the Malta Police Force Facebook page, the driver of the bus lost control and hit a tree.

A fleet of ten ambulances was sent to the scene at 5.15pm BST.

Of the 50 to receive medical attention, 12 were children, including two critically injured youngsters.

Everyone on the bus - except for the driver, 24, who was not hurt - was foreign.

The driver was reportedly working his first shift of the year after last doing the job in the summer of 2017.

The two passengers who were killed, and most of those who were injured, had been sitting on the top deck when the bus hit the tree branch.

Health Minister Chris Fearne said most of the passengers hailed from Belgium or Britain.

The passengers who were not injured were treated at the scene for shock.

On their Facebook page the Malta Police Force said: 'These persons were also certified as suffering from grievous injuries.'

All of the injured have been taken to the Mater Dei hospital.

A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: 'We are urgently seeking more information from the Maltese authorities following an incident involving a bus.

'We stand ready to provide assistance to any British people involved.'

Such hop-on, hop-off buses are common for sightseeing around Malta.

The accident is the second in Malta this year involving roadside trees.

A driver was killed in February when his car was crushed by a tree during windy weather.
A double decker tourist bus collides with low-lying tree branches in Żurrieq, Malta, killing two adults with six others being critically injured.