Driver investigated after fatal Graubünden coach crash

Five people died and 40 were injured when a Dutch tour coach crashed in the Engadine, prompting Graubünden prosecutors to open criminal proceedings against the driver. The crash took place on September 10, 2026, near Less, between Zernez and Susch.

According to the Graubünden Office of the Attorney General, investigators suspect the driver of multiple counts of manslaughter through negligence and multiple counts of causing bodily harm through negligence. The proceedings do not establish guilt. Prosecutors must now reconstruct what happened on the mountain road and determine whether any breach of duty contributed to the deaths and injuries.

The coach was carrying 45 Dutch nationals. It veered off the road and tipped onto its side in a remote part of southeastern Switzerland. The driver was also injured. Authorities have not released details about his medical condition or said where he is being held or treated.

The scale of the crash brought a major emergency response to the Alpine scene. Survivors were taken to hospitals in several Swiss cantons and across the border in Austria. Dutch authorities travelled to the Engadine to meet victims and support those affected.

The coach left Zernez for Susch before leaving the road near Less. Investigators have yet to publish a detailed account of the moments before the vehicle overturned, and the prosecutor’s office has not identified a definitive cause.

Earlier reports said the coach struck a safety barrier, overturned and plunged down an embankment. Swissinfo, citing Keystone-SDA, later reported that the vehicle veered off the road and tipped onto its side. Those details describe the crash sequence, while the criminal investigation will examine why the vehicle departed its lane and whether speed, road conditions, driver decisions, vehicle factors or another circumstance played a role.

The route runs through the Engadine, a high Alpine region known for steep terrain, narrow roads and sharp changes in elevation. Zernez serves as a gateway to the Swiss National Park, which covers more than 100 square kilometres across the valley. The area attracts international visitors, particularly during the summer travel season.

A reconstruction will likely draw on vehicle inspections, witness accounts, road measurements and technical evidence. Prosecutors have not announced a timetable for their findings. Any charges, if pursued, will depend on evidence gathered during the proceedings.

Forty people survived with injuries, some of them serious. Hospitals in several Swiss cantons and neighbouring Austria treated passengers after the crash, while Dutch officials travelled to the region to meet those affected.

The victims were members of a Dutch tour group travelling through Switzerland during a trip that had begun in the Netherlands. Earlier reporting said the coach belonged to Oad and was making a day trip to Switzerland from Austria. The company said it was working with authorities and supporting passengers and families.

Dutch ambassador Karin Mössenlechner visited injured survivors in the Engadine on September 12, two days after the crash. Her visit underlined the cross-border response required when an international group is involved in a major accident. Consular officials must help families receive information, assist with travel and coordinate with Swiss hospitals and investigators.

The Dutch Federation of Travel Agencies said the journey involved tourists from the Netherlands. Initial reports differed on the number of people aboard, but the subsequent Swiss account identified 45 Dutch nationals. The driver was also injured. Authorities have not disclosed the identities of the five people who died, pending notification of their families.

The criminal case will now move through Graubünden’s legal system. The prosecutor’s decision to investigate the driver places responsibility for the next stage with the cantonal Office of the Attorney General, which must establish the facts before deciding whether to bring formal charges.

Swiss proceedings involving suspected negligent deaths and injuries typically require investigators to examine the road, vehicle and human factors together. The inquiry may include forensic analysis of the coach, data from onboard systems, medical evidence, witness statements and assessments of the roadway. No such findings have been released so far.

The case also carries implications for coach operators serving Alpine routes. Graubünden is a major destination for international tourism, and roads linking resorts, villages and protected landscapes carry visitors throughout the year. The crash has renewed attention on the practical demands of operating large passenger vehicles in mountainous terrain, though authorities have not announced any new safety measures.

Oad said it was “deeply shocked and devastated” and pledged to support passengers and relatives. Swiss President Guy Parmelin expressed condolences to the families. For now, the priority remains medical care, family notification and a careful reconstruction of the events near Less.