Family, first responders bring out Manitoba bus crash victims’ photos in solemn procession as names released

One was a former school teacher. Another, the cornerstone of her family whom loved ones went to for advice.

They were parents and grandparents — babas, a pepère and a great-great nana — all among the 16 victims of a fatal crash in southwestern Manitoba identified publicly for the first time at an RCMP news conference at Credit Union Place in Dauphin, Man., on Thursday.

Alone or in small groups, family members walked slowly across the room, clutching a photo of someone they loved who died in the collision, before placing it on display alongside the other victims' pictures.

While none of the families spoke, some wrote statements for Mounties to read, sharing a little piece of the person they lost with the world. Other victims had their photos carried out not by a relative but a first responder who paid their respects.

"Hearts are broken, families are grieving," said Manitoba RCMP West District Commander Supt. Jeff Asmundson, pausing as his voice quivered with emotion.

"A community is feeling immeasurable loss."

The victims of the crash who died were:

'We will never forget them'

The update comes a week after the crash that shook the small Manitoba community that most of the victims called home.

Fifteen people died at the scene when a bus taking them on a day trip to a casino collided with a semi-trailer truck shortly before noon on June 15 at a highway intersection near Carberry, Man., a community about 160 kilometres west of Winnipeg.

RCMP said the 25 people on the bus were mostly seniors from Dauphin, a city about 150 kilometres north of Carberry. Police said the bus was going south down Highway 5 and crossing eastbound lanes of the Trans-Canada Highway near Carberry when it was hit by the truck.

WATCH | Community "feeling immeasurable loss":

'Immeasurable loss': Names of Manitoba bus crash victims released

9 hours ago

Duration 1:37

The names of 16 people killed following a June 15 bus crash in southwestern Manitoba were released Thursday. The victims were from the area of Dauphin, Man., which is 'feeling immeasurable loss,' Manitoba RCMP Supt. Jeff Asmundson said at a Thursday news conference.

Dauphin Mayor David Bosiak said there was a "genuine sense of sombreness and sadness" that fell over the city of about 8,000 last week as it became clear how many community members were killed in the crash.

"The next few days and weeks and months will be difficult. We have lost a tremendous amount of our families, our friends and our neighbours," said Bosiak, whose western Manitoba city was home to most of those on the bus.

"However, I know that we will never forget them, and as we heal, I trust we will continue to support each other and remember all the good these wonderful people brought to us."

Ernie Sirski, reeve of the rural municipality of Dauphin, said at least four of those who died went to his church, and some of those who survived the crash and are now in hospital sang with him in the choir.

"It's been a grieving process that you can never prepare for," Sirski said after the news conference, which Premier Heather Stefanson also attended.

"You can prepare for a hurricane because you can look at the weather forecast. You can sandbag your house if a flood's coming. You can't prepare for this."

After the crash, 10 survivors were rushed to several different Manitoba hospitals, including one woman who died this week, bringing the crash's death toll to 16 — the same as in the 2018 Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team bus crash in Tisdale, Sask.

Of the nine survivors who remain in care, five are women and four are men. Four of those patients remained in critical care as of Wednesday, according to Shared Health, which co-ordinates health-care service delivery in Manitoba.

Police said the semi driver had the right of way in the crash. The driver was released from hospital last week and has been assisting with the investigation, RCMP said.