At Least 14 Killed in Bus Crash Involving Junior Hockey League Team in Canada

The Humboldt Broncos of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. Humboldt Broncos, via Twitter

At least 14 people were killed late on Friday after a tractor-trailer collided with a bus filled with members of a Junior League hockey team on their way to a playoff game, the Canadian authorities said.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said that 14 other people had been injured, three of them critically. A total of 28 people, including the driver, were on the bus at the time of the collision, investigators said. The police have released no information on the driver of the tractor-trailer.

“We are not confirming the identity of the victims at this time, including whether the deceased are players or coaches,” the police said in a statement early Saturday morning.

UPDATE: RCMP in Sask. are confirming fatalities. We're expecting an update soon. Here's the statement from police. pic.twitter.com/ujXMDoxCUw
— NEWS 1130 (@NEWS1130) April 7, 2018

The crash happened about 5 p.m. on a highway about 18 miles north of Tisdale, Saskatchewan, the police said; the wreck clogged traffic and caused major delays.

In a tweet, the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League identified the hockey team as the Humboldt Broncos. Players for the Broncos range in age from 16 to 21, according to the team’s roster.

The SJHL is aware of an accident involving the Humboldt Broncos bus. The SJHL has no other facts at this time. Upon being informed of the facts, the SJHL will make a release.
— SJHL (@theSJHL) April 7, 2018

The team had been scheduled to play the Nipawin Hawks on Friday night. “Tonight’s game is canceled,” the Hawks said on Twitter.

In a Facebook post, Scott Moe, the premier of Saskatchewan, said his province was grieving.

“Words cannot describe the loss that we feel tonight,” he said. “The news I have heard is difficult to comprehend.”

In a tweet, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada said he could not imagine what the parents of the players were going through. “My heart goes out to everyone affected by this terrible tragedy,” he said.

I cannot imagine what these parents are going through, and my heart goes out to everyone affected by this terrible tragedy, in the Humboldt community and beyond. https://t.co/2cIn2CTy08
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) April 7, 2018

Heath officials were directing relatives of the Broncos to the Apostolic Church in the town of Nipawin.

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