80 Killed as Truck Rams into a Crowd in France

July 15, 2016 09:22
80 Killed as Truck Rams into a Crowd in France

In a tragic incident, 80 people were killed and many injured when an attacker drove a heavy truck at high speed into a crowd in France.

According to the officials, the crowd was watching Bastille Day fireworks in the French Riviera city of Nice when this mishap took place on Thursday. The attacker was shot dead after he drove for two kilometres through the crowd.

The authorities searched the truck in which they found identity papers belonging to a 31-year-old French-Tunisian citizen. They also found guns and grenades.

"An individual drove a truck into the crowd. He was killed by police," said interior ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet.

President of the region Christian Estrosi said: “77 people were killed, with many others in critical condition.”

France attacks
This is the third major strike against France in less than 18 months and prosecutors said: “anti-terrorist investigators would handle the probe.”

"Investigations are currently underway to establish if the individual acted alone or if he had accomplices who might have fled," the interior ministry spokesman said.

US President Barack Obama condemned "what appears to be a horrific terrorist attack, although no group claimed responsibility for the incident.”

French leader Francois Hollande expressed his "support and solidarity" with the residents of Nice.

The attack happened after eight months of IS suicide bombers attack who killed 130 people in Paris.

"People went down like ninepins," Jacques, who runs Le Queenie restaurant on the seafront, told France Info.

"I saw people go down. Then the truck stopped, we were just five meters away. A woman was there, she lost her son. Her son was on the ground, bleeding,” he added.

France attacks
Nice Matin journalist Damien Allemand, who was at the waterside, said: “the fireworks display had finished and the crowd had got up to leave when they heard a noise and cries.”

"A fraction of a second later, an enormous white truck came along at a crazy speed, turning the wheel to mow down the maximum number of people," he said.

"I saw bodies flying like bowling pins along its route. Heard noises, cries that I will never forget."

"This evening, it was horror," Allemand concluded.

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Also Read: Gunmen Attack Restaurant in Dhaka, 6 Killed

By M. Divya Shri

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France  attack  truck rams into crowd  death