German FM to fly to Madeira Thursday after bus crash

15:47 - 06 August 2024

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The German military's medical evacuation plane was on stand-by and could be deployed to repatriate injured nationals

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said he will travel to Madeira on Thursday with a team of doctors and psychologists after 29 German tourists were killed in a bus crash on the Portuguese island.

"It is shocking that an Easter holiday has become a tragedy for so many people," Maas said in a statement, adding that he will fly to Madeira with medical staff to "speak personally with those affected".

Separately, Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief of staff Helge Braun said consular officials were already on site, and an expert had begun identifying the victims.

The German military's medical evacuation plane was on stand-by and could be deployed to repatriate injured nationals, said Braun.

A decision would be made later Thursday on whether the plane would be deployed, he added.