Chile – +American Tourists Die In Bus Crash+

The tour bus that crashed in northern Chile, killing 12 elderly American tourists returning to their cruise ship after an excursion, was unregistered and not authorized to transport passengers, government officials said Thursday.

The white bus tumbled more than 300 feet and ended up crushed and on its side. Rescue crews found the bodies of the victims spread out in the area along with some of their belongings, including local handicraft bags

The officials said those killed were Miriam Diamond, 76; Hans Wilhelm Otto Eggers, 72; Barbara Rubin, 69; Arthur Joseph Kovar, 67; Frieda Kovar, 74; Robert Rubin, 72; Maria Eggers, 71; Carole Ellen Rochelman, 63; Shirley Bier, 76; Marvin Bier, 79.

They also listed Linda Greenfield, 63, and Ira Greenfield, 68, whose deaths were reported earlier by their rabbi in Stamford, Conn. The injured men were identified as Harold Rochelman, 67, and Bernard Diamond, 66.

Chilean officials said the bus lacked permission to carry passengers

The bus “was not registered with the Transportation Ministry,” said Jorge Caceres, head of the ministry’s office in the region where the accident occurred.

Pedro Mufeler, regional director of the government tourism agency, told The Associated Press by telephone that the small company, named Andinotours, had filed its request for registration some 15 days ago but it had not yet been approved. He did not elaborate.

The prosecutor in charge of investigating the accident, Manuel Gonzalez, said the driver may have fallen asleep.

Hanrahan told reporters in Miami the victims — all in their 60s and 70s — were part of a 64-member B’nai B’rith group on vacation.

Rabbi Daniel Cohen of Congregation Agudath Sholom in Stamford said relatives of the Greenfields — longtime members of the synagogue — were headed to Chile to identify the victims.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time,” he said. “Everyone is in a tremendous state of shock and sadness.”

Linda Greenfield was a mentor at the local alternative high school and an active volunteer in the congregation, while her husband was a sales clerk at a television store, Cohen said.

Hanrahan said the injured tourists were in stable condition and were moved to an intensive care unit as a precaution. Dr. Mauricio Lynn of Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami said one of the men broke a leg and the other broke a hand.