Skip to main content

The context you need, when you need it

When news breaks, you need to understand what actually matters — and what to do about it. At Vox, our mission to help you make sense of the world has never been more vital. But we can’t do it on our own.

We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. Will you support our work and become a Vox Member today?

Join now

Canada hockey bus crash: what we know

A bus carrying the Canadian hockey team the Humboldt Broncos collided with a tractor-trailer late Friday, killing 15.

Emily Stewart
Emily Stewart covered business and economics for Vox and wrote the newsletter The Big Squeeze, examining the ways ordinary people are being squeezed under capitalism. Before joining Vox, she worked for TheStreet.

A bus carrying a junior hockey team, the Humboldt Broncos, collided with a tractor-trailer in Canada on Friday evening, leaving 15 people dead. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said there were 29 people on the bus at the time of the crash, including the driver. The 14 people who were not killed were injured, three critically. The victims have not yet been identified; junior league hockey teams are generally for athletes ages 16 to 21. The Broncos were headed to the town of Nipawin for a playoff game.

“I cannot imagine what these parents are going through, and my heart goes out to everyone affected by this tragedy, in Humboldt community and beyond,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a tweet late Friday.

What we know

  • A bus carrying members of the Humboldt Broncos, a junior league hockey team, collided with a tractor-trailer on Friday evening while the team was on the way to a playoff game. The collision took place on Highway 35 north of Tisdale.
  • A total of 29 people were on the bus, including the driver. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed 15 people were killed and the other 14 were injured, three of them critically. Among the dead are Broncos head coach Darcy Haugan, team captain Logan Schatz, and radio announcer Tyler Bieber.
  • “This is a very involved investigation and, due to the large amount of evidence, information, and the number of victims, this work will take some time,” RCMP Saskatchewan Assistant Commissioner Curtis Zablocki told reporters on Saturday afternoon.
  • Kevin Garinger, president of the Broncos, confirmed the crash in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are extended to the families of our staff and athletes as well as to all who have been impacted by this horrible tragedy,” he said. “Our Broncos family is in shock as we try to come to grips with our incredible loss.”
  • Saskatchewan premier Scott Moe said in a Facebook post that “words cannot describe the loss that we feel tonight” and called for prayers for the families.
  • Prime Minister Trudeau expressed his condolences as well.
  • A verified GoFundMe page has been set up to help support the victims and their families.
  • US President Donald Trump tweeted his “respect and condolences” to those affected.

What we don’t know

  • The exact circumstances of the crash.
  • The identities of all those killed and injured.
See More:

More in Podcasts

Podcasts
Why the anti-abortion movement is disappointed in TrumpWhy the anti-abortion movement is disappointed in Trump
Podcast
Podcasts

Trump helped overturn Roe. Anti-abortion advocates still aren’t happy.

By Peter Balonon-Rosen and Sean Rameswaram
Podcasts
The Supreme Court abortion pills case, explainedThe Supreme Court abortion pills case, explained
Podcast
Podcasts

How Louisiana brought mifepristone back to SCOTUS.

By Peter Balonon-Rosen and Sean Rameswaram
Podcasts
Don’t freak out about hantavirusDon’t freak out about hantavirus
Podcast
Podcasts

An infectious disease researcher explains what’s going on — and why this isn’t the outbreak to worry about.

By Miranda Kennedy and Noel King
Podcasts
Are humanoid robots all hype?Are humanoid robots all hype?
Podcast
Podcasts

AI is making them better — but they’re not going to be doing your chores anytime soon.

By Avishay Artsy and Sean Rameswaram
Explain It to Me
Is your makeup making you sick?Is your makeup making you sick?
Podcast
Explain It to Me

How to find cosmetics that are better for you, explained.

By Jonquilyn Hill
America, Actually
The progressive plan to reclaim the working classThe progressive plan to reclaim the working class
Podcast
America, Actually

Progressive caucus chair Rep. Greg Casar on his movement’s new playbook.

By Astead Herndon