On Friday midday, April 10, 2026, at approximately 1:20pm local time, a tourist bus came off the GM-2 island road near San Sebastián de La Gomera and plunged roughly ten metres down an embankment into a ravine. On board were 28 people: 27 British holidaymakers — including three children — and the driver. The group had been staying at a resort in Playa Santiago and were heading to the ferry terminal in San Sebastián to catch a boat to Tenerife.
One Dead, Four Seriously Injured
A 77-year-old British man died at the scene. Two further passengers, aged 73 and 42, suffered severe multiple injuries and were airlifted by helicopter to the Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria in Tenerife. A third seriously injured person was taken to the Hospital Universitario de Canarias. The bus driver also had to be transferred to a hospital in Tenerife.
The remaining 23 injured were taken to the Hospital Insular Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe on La Gomera. Twenty-one were discharged by the evening; three remained under observation.
Deaths: 1 (British man, aged 77)
Seriously injured: 4 (3 airlifted to Tenerife)
Minor injuries: 23 (21 discharged same evening)
Total on board: 28 (27 British tourists + driver)
Location: GM-2, Km 4.5, near El Revolcadero, San Sebastián de La Gomera
Brake Failure as Main Hypothesis
The Guardia Civil has opened an investigation. Juan Luis Navarro, the island's state administration director, told journalists that the driver had tried to control the bus after the brakes failed on a downhill stretch. He reportedly steered the vehicle onto a dirt track in an attempt to stop it. The bus came to rest after dropping roughly ten metres — had it slid further, the consequences could have been far worse.
The bus was operated by Gomera Tours, a local company offering excursions, airport and hotel transfers on the island. The company declined to comment.
Same Stretch of Road — Second Fatal Crash
Particularly alarming: a similar bus accident occurred on the same section of the GM-2, near the Centro Ambiental El Revolcadero, in May 2025, killing a 73-year-old woman. Questions about whether the road layout, crash barriers or vehicle safety standards in this area are adequate will now be asked with renewed urgency.
Reactions
The British Foreign Office confirmed on Friday evening that the deceased was a British national and offered consular support to the family. Canary Islands president Fernando Clavijo expressed his condolences to the victims and families on X. Ángel Víctor Torres, Minister for Territorial Policy, called the crash "tragic news" and urged that there be no further victims.
The Canary Islands government activated the PLATECA emergency plan, which was stood down later in the evening once rescue operations were completed.
La Gomera has a road network of steep, winding mountain roads with sometimes dramatic drops. The GM-2 from Playa Santiago to San Sebastián is one of the main routes. Travellers should check vehicle conditions on bus excursions and always wear seatbelts. In case of an accident: call 112 (European emergency number, valid on the Canary Islands).