RCMP have spoken with some survivors of last Thursday’s crash between a semi-trailer truck and a bus that killed 15 Manitoba seniors and sent 10 more hospital with severe injuries..“These were tough interviews to conduct,” Supt. Rob Lasson, head of Manitoba RCMP major crime services, told a news conference Monday..Due to the ongoing investigation, details of the new information obtained by investigators “can’t be divulged at this time,” he said..Lasson said the driver of the bus was not interviewed due to his medical state..All survivors remain in hospital. Five are in critical condition and one was just moved out of critical care to a step down unit, said Lanette Siragusa, CEO of Manitoba Shared Health..Autopsies of the deceased victims are underway and once completed their identities will be released..The significant injuries they suffered has made it difficult to identify them visually. .John Younes, Manitoba's chief medical examiner, said last week that fingerprints and dental records would be used..All survivors have been identified..The bus, carrying passengers from Dauphin and surrounding area, were on a day trip to Sand Hills Casino near Carberry, 160 km west of Winnipeg..The crash occurred on the Trans Canada Hwy. at the intersection of Hwy. 5..Dash-cam video from the semi shows that the semi had the right of way..The truck driver has been released from hospital..Premier Heather Stefanson said Manitoba Health financial resources for travel, accommodation, and food will be made available “immediately” to help family members of the crash victims..“If any of you need to travel because of your family’s situation, our message is that we’re here to help you during this difficult time,” she said..Meanwhile, Lasson said the truck and the bus are undergoing mechanical analysis and that the traffic unit is involved..“This takes time, and we don’t anticipate having these accurate answers for a number of weeks or months.”.RCMP must rely heavily on mechanical analysis and forensic investigations because eyewitness evidence has presented a challenge..“It’s difficult because, normally, we have a numerous amount of eyewitnesses. In this case we don’t because all of the eyewitnesses were on the bus.”.“A lot of them are in trauma right now and we can’t talk to them.”.The passengers on the bus ranged in ages from 58 to 88. Of the 25, there were 19 were women and six men. Six of the 10 survivors are women and four are men aged 60 to late 80s.
