BREAKING NEWS!  A devastating accident has claimed the lives of 135 people in a collision between a truck and a bus. Details in the first comment.   

Canada is in shock and mourning after a critical accident occurred on Friday in the province of Saskatchewan, in the western part of the country. The tragedy resulted in 15 fatalities, involving a truck and a coach carrying young hockey players, the nation’s beloved sport.

The truck driver, who emerged unscathed from the accident, has been released by the authorities. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the federal police, have not yet disclosed any potential causes of the collision.

The accident happened on Friday at around 5 PM local time (11 PM GMT) when the semi-truck collided with the bus carrying hockey players aged 16 to 21. The tragedy unfolded on a remote highway northeast of Saskatoon, under freezing conditions of approximately -20°C.

Images captured by witnesses at the scene reveal the extent of the disaster: both vehicles were overturned and severely damaged at an intersection on Highway 335, located between the towns of Tisdale and Nipawin.

“The entire country is in shock and mourning today,” said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, expressing deep sorrow. “No parent should ever experience the nightmare of sending their child off to play the sport they love, only to never see them return,” he added in an emotional statement.