July 1, 2011
LONDON (AFP) - Three British teenagers died in a bus crash while travelling through northern Thailand, officials in London said on Thursday.
The three young men, all 19 and from London, were killed when the coach they were travelling in collided with another bus early Tuesday as they headed for the northern city of Chiang Mai.
Bruno Melling-Firth, Conrad Quashie and Max Boomgaarden-Cook were taking time off to travel before going to university when they died in Khlong Khlung, Kamphaeng Phet province, a government source said.
A third Briton was injured in the crash and taken to hospital in Bangkok. British media reported that about 40 other passengers were hurt.
"We can confirm the death of three British nationals," said a Foreign Office statement.
"A further two British nationals were on board the bus. We are in contact with both -- one has some injuries and we have visited him in hospital in Bangkok and are providing assistance."
The teenagers were school friends and been saving for months for the trip, London's Evening Standard newspaper reported. They flew out to Thailand from London Heathrow airport on Thursday last week, it added.
