A heartbreaking clip has emerged of students celebrating prom just hours before they were killed in a tragic coach crash.
Sixteen students and the driver lost their lives in the accident.
The crash took place in the early hours of Sunday (14 Dec) morning.
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The group was returning from the school’s graduation trip when the coach veered off the road and plunged down a ravine with 35 people on board.
Seventeen were killed, and the survivors all required hospital treatment.
The bus crashed in the rural area of Remedios, about three hours from Medellín, Colombia.
A preliminary investigation suggests that a mechanical failure was the cause of the accident.
One of the victims called home to report that the vehicle had to stop constantly and that they had unsuccessfully requested another bus.
The victims were students from the Antioqueño High School in Bello in the greater Medellín area, as reported by Need To Know.
They spent a week staying in the resort town of Tolú on Colombia’s Caribbean coast.
A video has emerged of two students, Laura Salazar and María Fernanda Londoño Jiménez, at the hotel just hours before their deaths.
They recommended the services of the company Seniors Prom, which was hired to organise the week-long trip.
They said: “I 100% recommend Seniors Prom to everyone in the class of 2026.
“It’s super, super recommended.
“The parties are incredible, you have to come.
“It’s been an amazing experience, I’ve had a great time.
“The parties, the food, the hotel, everything is incredible.”
A Senior’s Prom spokesperson said after the crash: “The company has maintained constant and direct support for the affected families, prioritising human support during this time of profound grief.
“To this end, four emotional support telephone lines remain operational, available 24 hours a day and staffed by psychology professionals, providing guidance and support to those who need it.
“In recent hours, public statements have been made by those who lived through this tragedy, along with numerous reactions in the media and on social networks.
“We express our respect for the testimonies of all those affected and recognise the courage and strength of the families and survivors.”
They added: “Out of respect for the victims, their families, and the ongoing investigations, we consider it responsible and prudent to wait for the authorities’ official statement regarding the investigation’s findings.
“Any updates will be communicated exclusively through the company’s official channels, based on confirmed information.
The Mayor’s Office of Bello confirmed the list of the 16 students killed in the accident.
They were named as Carlos Cardona, Daniel Arismendy Fernández, José Manuel Orrego Palacio, Juan Andrés Hincapié, Laura Salazar, María Camila Pérez Sánchez, María Fernanda Londoño Jiménez, Mariana Galvis Arias, Mariana Upegui Escobar, Mateo Castaño López, Mathias Berrio Cardona, Paulina Anduquia Builes, Sara Escobar Mera, Susana Arango Mejía, Valeria López, and Yeraldin Yepes.
The deceased driver was identified as Jonathan Alexander Taborda, 27.
The investigation into the cause of the tragic crash is ongoing.
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