Fatal bus crash at Ashkelon station leaves one dead, teen injured

A bus crashed into a vehicle and station in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon Sunday morning, killing one person and leaving a 19-year-old with moderate injuries, emergency services reported.

The driver lost control of the bus near the station complex. Officials quickly clarified that the incident was a traffic accident and not security-related, addressing immediate concerns in the security-sensitive region.

"When we arrived at the scene, we found an unconscious victim near the road without vital signs," said Israel Lugasi, a Magen David Adom (MDA) paramedic who responded to the crash. Despite immediate resuscitation efforts, the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

A United Hatzalah emergency responder, Lior Vaknin, reported that witnesses saw the bus lose control before striking both a vehicle and the bus station structure. "We initially treated a critically injured young person while attempting resuscitation," Vaknin said, adding that three others received treatment for moderate to minor injuries.

The surviving 19-year-old victim suffered limb injuries and was transported to Barzilai Hospital in moderate condition, according to MDA officials.