B.C. bus crash: Few passengers wearing seatbelts in accident that killed four

The passenger bus that crashed on Christmas Eve on the Okanagan Connector, killing four people and sending dozens to hospital, had seatbelts installed but few people were using them, police said.

“The Ebus was equipped with seatbelts, unfortunately it appears the majority of passengers were not wearing them,” Kelowna RCMP spokesman Const. James Ward said in an email statement Tuesday.

Four people were killed when the westbound bus carrying 46 people, including the driver, rolled over around 6 p.m. on Saturday on the icy highway and ended up in the eastbound lanes. The survivors were transported to three Interior hospitals, RCMP said, and on Monday, seven remained in hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

Police have not named the deceased, pending notification of next of kin, but a cousin of one passenger confirmed the death of Karanjot Singh Sodhi.

The 41-year-old husband and father of two children, six and two years old, had come to Canada in September on a temporary work permit. He was busing from his chef’s job at an Oliver restaurant and winery to celebrate the New Year with his cousin, Kalwinder Singh of Surrey, and to complete a test for permanent residency. He planned to eventually immigrate to Canada with his family.