In a terrifying ordeal that has shattered the dream holiday of dozens of British tourists, survivors of a catastrophic bus crash on the rugged island of La Gomera have spoken of scenes straight out of a horror film – passengers dangling upside down from their seatbelts, the world spinning in chaos, and the sickening realisation that they might all die on what should have been a routine trip to catch a ferry home.

The tragedy unfolded on Friday afternoon, April 10, when a packed tourist coach carrying 27 British holidaymakers – including three children – and their local Spanish driver veered off the winding GM-2 road near San Sebastián de La Gomera. The bus plunged down a steep ravine, tumbling and rolling before slamming to a halt on its side amid rocks and foliage some 50 feet below the carriageway. One 77-year-old British man was killed instantly, while 27 others suffered injuries ranging from minor cuts and bruises to life-threatening trauma. Two seriously hurt British men, aged 73 and 42, had to be airlifted by helicopter to hospitals on neighbouring Tenerife.

Those who lived through the nightmare are still reeling. One British couple, speaking anonymously, described the moment the coach lost control as feeling like “something out of a horror movie.” Time seemed to slow down as the vehicle went “head over heels” – rolling at least twice – throwing passengers around like ragdolls. When the bus finally came to rest on its side, many found themselves hanging upside down, held only by their seatbelts in a nightmarish tableau of dangling bodies, smashed windows and crumpled metal. “We thought we were all going to die,” one survivor recalled, their voice trembling with the memory. Others called it “traumatising and terrifying,” a miracle that more lives weren’t lost in the devastating impact.

The bus had been heading downhill towards the port in San Sebastián de La Gomera, where the group – fresh from a sun-soaked break on the island – was due to catch a ferry to Tenerife before flying back to the UK. It was meant to be the final leg of a relaxing getaway. Instead, it became a scene of unimaginable panic and destruction.

According to emerging details from the investigation, the driver – an experienced local man in his 50s who knew the route well, passing the spot daily – suddenly felt the brakes fail as the coach descended the hill. He desperately tried to fight the runaway vehicle, steering it towards a side road or gravel track in a last-ditch attempt to slow down. But it was no use. The coach careered off the unfenced bend, plunging into the ravine with a sickening crunch that echoed through the dramatic volcanic landscape of La Gomera.

Police are now urgently examining the coach’s “black box” recorder for vital data on speed, braking and mechanical performance. The vehicle itself remains at the crash site, covered by a tarpaulin, as forensic teams comb the wreckage for clues. Witnesses have been interviewed, though many passengers remain too emotionally shaken to give full statements immediately. The driver, himself injured and hospitalised on Tenerife, reportedly told authorities he believes brake failure was to blame – a mechanical nightmare that turned a routine transfer into deadly chaos.

Adding to the heartbreak, the widow of the 77-year-old victim sat right beside her husband when the crash happened. In the immediate aftermath, amid the confusion and her own injuries, she had no idea he had been killed instantly. Only later, at Hospital Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, did she ask medics, “Where is my husband?” Hospital director Guacimara Barrera described how the woman was in deep shock. Staff broke the devastating news with great sensitivity. “She was not aware at the scene or when she came to the hospital,” Barrera said. “We were very sensitive in informing her.” The widow is now being supported alongside other survivors at the Bancal Hotel & Spa, where psychological help is being provided to help them process the trauma. Many refused to return to their original accommodation near the crash site, desperate to escape the memories.

By Sunday, most of the injured – including the three children – had been discharged from hospital, though several remained under observation and a handful with more serious injuries continued treatment. The Foreign Office confirmed it is supporting the victim’s family, while Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo offered condolences and assistance.

The road where the horror unfolded has a grim history. Just last year, another public bus overturned on the same stretch of the GM-2, killing a 73-year-old Spanish woman and injuring 11 others. Locals know the winding, steep routes around La Gomera can be unforgiving, especially on downhill sections near tunnels and bends with limited safety barriers. Yet the tour operator, La Gomera Tours, insists its vehicles were fully up to date with inspections and that the driver was highly experienced with no prior complaints about the route.

Survivors’ accounts paint a vivid, gut-wrenching picture of the seconds that changed everything. One elderly couple spoke of feeling the bus suddenly accelerate out of control, the driver’s frantic efforts to regain mastery, then the terrifying lurch as it left the road. The rolling motion hurled luggage and people through the air. Seatbelts – thankfully worn by many – saved lives but left passengers suspended helplessly as rescuers arrived. Emergency services scrambled three helicopters and five ambulances to the remote scene after a 1:16pm local time alert. The “big impact” left the coach’s steel frame twisted and windows shattered.

As investigators piece together the final moments, questions swirl about vehicle maintenance, road safety on popular tourist routes, and whether better barriers or warning systems could have prevented the plunge. Police are also analysing any available CCTV or dashcam footage from the area, though no public release of crash-specific video has been confirmed yet. The black box remains the key hope for definitive answers on whether brake failure, driver error, or another factor was decisive.

For the British tourists involved, the ordeal has turned paradise into a living nightmare. Many had been enjoying the dramatic cliffs, black-sand beaches and hiking trails of La Gomera – part of the Canary Islands’ volcanic archipelago that draws thousands of UK visitors each year for its year-round warmth and dramatic scenery. Now, instead of happy holiday snaps, they carry memories of dangling in a wrecked bus, the cries of the injured, and the devastating loss of a fellow traveller.

The surviving passengers, including families with young children, are receiving counselling to overcome the shock. Many describe the crash as a “miracle” survival story, crediting seatbelts and the relatively soft landing amid rocks and vegetation for limiting the death toll. Yet the psychological scars run deep. One survivor summed it up: “We went from chatting and looking forward to going home to thinking this was the end.”

This tragedy shines a harsh light on the risks of coach travel on twisting island roads, even in popular destinations. British holidaymakers flock to the Canaries for affordable sunshine breaks, often relying on transfer buses to ports and airports. When mechanical issues strike without warning, the consequences can be catastrophic.

As the investigation continues into the suspected brake failure, the bus operator maintains there were no red flags with the vehicle. Authorities stress that full witness statements and technical analysis are needed before any conclusions. The wrecked coach will not be moved until at least Monday to allow thorough examination.

Back in the UK, families of those involved wait anxiously for updates, while the victim’s loved ones grieve a husband, father or grandfather whose holiday ended in unthinkable tragedy. The widow, still processing the loss, remains with the group receiving support.

The survivors’ stories – of time slowing down, of hanging upside down in a horror-movie nightmare, of the desperate fight for survival – will stay with them forever. For one 77-year-old Brit, the dream trip became his last. For the others, it’s a harrowing reminder of how quickly paradise can turn deadly.

Police continue to urge anyone with information or footage from the GM-2 road that afternoon to come forward. The black box and passenger testimonies may soon reveal exactly why the brakes failed to respond on that fateful downhill stretch.

Until then, the images of a mangled tourist bus lying on its side in a La Gomera ravine serve as a stark warning – and a testament to the resilience of those who lived to tell the terrifying tale.