#Children among 21 killed after coach veers from Mestre bridge

The driver, named as 40-year-old Alberto Rizzotto, was among the dead.

“The bus was transporting tourists, for the most part foreigners, from Venice to Marghera,” said Michele di Bari, a senior police official in Venice.

Giorgia Meloni, the prime minister, expressed her “most profound condolences” and said her thoughts were with the victims and their families and friends.

“Mamma mia, a coach just fell from the bridge,” a woman could be heard saying on video footage that was uploaded to social media. “Mamma mia, mamma mia, look at this,” she said. 

The footage showed the coach in flames and passersby rushing to help survivors.

“I heard a loud braking sound, I thought it might have been a train,” said one witness, named Leonardo.

“Then there was the noise of the crash, the impact. I was shocked and looking down I saw smoke and heard people screaming for help.”