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By Gretchen Wehmhoff

A tour bus out of Skagway left the road Sept. 6 just past the Yukon Suspension Bridge near km 52/mile 34 on the South Klondike Highway around 3:30 p.m.Yukon time.

Twenty-five passengers, including the driver, were on board when the bus veered off the pavement, stopping about 20 feet as it hit uneven ground where the bus tipped onto the driver’s side.

The bus, owned by Chilkoot Charters, was carrying cruise ship tourists when driver experienced a medical event causing him to lose control of the vehicle.

According to owner Stacy Gould, a medical doctor and an EMS trained passenger were on board and immediately started to triage and assist the injured.

Passengers were able to exit the bus on their own.

Gould said two Holland America Princess (HAP) buses stopped to assist with additional medical personnel from their tours. HAP operators radioed in the accident then provided warm shelter for the passengers.

Another Chilkoot bus stopped as well as folks headed to Skagway for the start of the annual Klondike Road Relay – several of them off duty EMS personnel.

Fire and rescue teams from Carcross and Skagway responded to the accident.

Twenty of the passengers were transported back to Skagway with the help of HAP and were able to make it onto their ship.

The driver and four others were taken by ambulance to Whitehorse General Hospital (WGH). Two of those passengers were released over the weekend and have made it back to their homes.

The driver, James Coleman, was released and is back in Skagway.

“James is doing fine. I know he’s got a huge circle of friends in Skagway that are all wondering about him. He sustained a bump on his head, but he was treated, and he’s back in Skagway. So he is doing well,” Gould said.

“Of course, all of us are all shook up, still a little bit in shock,” she added.

Gould said that while a helicopter was present at the scene, no one was airlifted as rumours had suggested while people were looking for information. All injured passengers were transported by ambulance.

Gould credits HAP drivers for the assistance.

“They were absolutely phenomenal. And I can’t say enough about those two HAP drivers and the company itself, and how they assisted us. It was fantastic. And you know, in rural places like this, we all would help out. Doesn’t matter who is having an incident or an accident. And that’s what’s really nice about the Skagway community,” she said.

As of Sept. 9, the remaining two passengers were still at WGH for observation after nonlife-threatening injuries.

The charter bus was towed to Whitehorse for insurance evaluation.

The annual Klondike Road Relay race from Skagway to Whitehorse start was delayed due to the accident and the first three legs out of Skagway were canceled.

Gould appreciated the sportsmanship of the runners and race committee in working around the situation and those who stopped to help.

“It was amazing, because people from all walks of life stopped to help. That is Skagway in a nutshell – everybody is here all doing our own businesses, but when it really comes down to it, people step up and help each other, which means a lot. It says a lot for the community itself.”

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Highway bus accident leaves some injured, most walk away