A routine bus ride turned into a frightening emergency Thursday evening when a driver in his 50s suddenly collapsed behind the wheel on Route 651 near the Pal Yam Junction, causing the bus to collide with a private vehicle.

The driver apparently suffered a serious medical emergency while driving and lost consciousness. Magen David Adom emergency personnel were quickly dispatched to the scene, where they found the driver unresponsive inside the driver’s compartment.

Paramedics and EMTs removed the driver and immediately began intensive resuscitation efforts. The treatment included chest compressions, assisted breathing and eight electric shocks administered with a defibrillator.

After extensive treatment at the scene, the driver was transported urgently to Hillel Yaffe Medical Center in critical condition, with resuscitation efforts continuing during the evacuation.

MDA EMTs Yonatan Yankelowitz, Yosef Friedman and Elimelech Michalowitz described the chaotic scene when they arrived.

“When we arrived at the bus, we saw several frightened and distressed passengers, and the driver lying unconscious. A quick examination revealed that he had no pulse and was not breathing, and we immediately began advanced resuscitation efforts,” they said.

While emergency personnel worked to save the driver, additional MDA teams examined the passengers aboard the bus as well as the woman driving the private vehicle involved in the collision.

None of the bus passengers was found to have suffered physical injuries, and none required evacuation to a hospital. The driver of the private vehicle sustained minor injuries and was transported to Hillel Yaffe Medical Center for further treatment.

The frightening incident follows several other serious episodes involving buses on Israeli roads in recent months.

In one incident several months ago, a driver operating Jerusalem’s No. 2 bus route was violently assaulted by several youths while stopped at a red light. The attack reportedly caused him to lose consciousness and several teeth, though he was forced to continue driving despite his condition.

In another incident in Bnei Brak, an elderly passenger was injured aboard a bus after the driver was forced to brake suddenly when a private vehicle cut into his lane at the Chazon Ish intersection. The woman was thrown forcefully toward the front of the bus and sustained injuries.

{Matzav.com}