Investigators detained the driver after the city bus crashed through a bridge barrier and sank in the Moika River.
ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA — A city bus veered off a bridge and plunged into the Moika River on May 10, 2024, in central St. Petersburg, killing seven people and injuring others, Russian officials said.
The crash drew a large emergency response in Russia’s second-largest city and opened questions about the driver’s condition, the bus company’s record and passenger safety on privately run routes. Russia’s Investigative Committee reported the death toll, while emergency officials said several people pulled from the water were in serious or critical condition.
The bus was traveling through the historic center of St. Petersburg when it moved erratically near a bridge over the Moika River. Surveillance video released by Russian authorities showed the vehicle driving fast, making a sharp turn, striking another vehicle and breaking through a bridge railing before dropping into the water. The crash happened at about 1 p.m. local time, St. Petersburg police said. Gov. Alexander Beglov said victims were receiving urgent help and that he was overseeing the response. “The victims are being provided prompt assistance,” Beglov said in a message posted after the crash. Rescue boats, divers, ambulances and emergency workers gathered at the scene as the bus sat nearly submerged near the bridge.
Russian news reports gave different early counts for the number of people on board. Some reports said 15 people were on the city bus, while police and state media reported about 20 passengers. Officials said nine people were pulled from the water in the first rescue effort, and several others escaped or climbed out on their own. Six people were reported injured in early accounts, with some listed in critical or serious condition. Emergency workers stood on the roof of the partly sunken bus as crews worked from boats nearby. Local officials thanked passersby who jumped into the river before official rescuers arrived. Authorities did not immediately release a full list of victims, and some details about the passengers remained unknown in the hours after the crash.
The crash put renewed attention on St. Petersburg’s bus system, where private companies operate many routes. City authorities said the owner of the bus had been fined 23 times for various violations before the crash. Officials did not immediately say which violations were tied to the bus involved or whether any were linked to maintenance, route safety or driver scheduling. The St. Petersburg government’s transportation committee said the driver lost control of the vehicle. Russian media reported that the driver’s wife said managers had forced him to work a morning shift after he had worked about 20 hours the previous day and had almost no rest. Those claims had not been independently confirmed by investigators.
Police detained the driver after the crash, and St. Petersburg police said he was charged with traffic violations. The Investigative Committee opened a criminal case into alleged traffic violations and unsafe travel services. Russian authorities said the case would examine how the bus was operated, what caused the driver to lose control and whether the company met safety rules. The driver could face up to seven years in prison if convicted, according to Russian reports. Investigators were expected to review video from the area, interview witnesses and examine the bus, company records and driver schedule. Officials did not immediately announce a court date or identify all possible defendants.
The crash scene unfolded in one of St. Petersburg’s best-known central districts, where narrow streets, bridges and waterways carry heavy traffic through the city’s historic core. Images from the scene showed emergency crews clustered along the bridge and boats beside the bus as workers tried to reach people inside. Witnesses and bystanders helped before professional rescuers completed the recovery. State Duma deputy Biysultan Khamzaev said three men from Dagestan were among the first people to begin helping those trapped in the bus. Officials did not give a detailed public account of how each passenger escaped or was recovered, and the exact sequence inside the bus after it hit the water remained under investigation.
The known death toll stood at seven, with several injured people treated after the crash. Investigators continued reviewing the driver’s actions, the bus company’s safety record and the condition of the vehicle after the May 10 plunge into the Moika River.
Author note: Last updated July 6, 2026.