Bus crash charity workers vow to finish work

The leader of a group of Irish charity workers caught up in a horrific bus crash in Kenya said the experience had not deterred the team from carrying out their job.

Eight volunteers with the Habitat for Humanity Northern Ireland charity arrived at Dublin Airport last night, following their ordeal earlier this week when the bus they were in plunged down an embankment.

Shauna McDonald, 24, from Co Fermanagh, said all were happy to be home but wanted to return and complete their work.

“They’re very keen to,” Ms McDonald said.

“It was just circumstantial, it was unlucky but at the same time we were very lucky.”

The eight volunteers were among 13 from the organisation’s global village programme, which builds houses for people in need.

Another four, who have been released from hospital in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, are expected home in the coming days.

A fifth, Mary Morgan, 61, from Rostrevor, Co Down, remained in hospital seriously injured but stable, and is improving.

One other worker had a broken collar bone, while others had suspected broken bones and ribs.

Ms McDonald said the crash was a frightening experience.

“Like any accident it was scary, but it all happened so quick,” she said.

“We weren’t really aware of what happened until the last minute that we noticed we were going over the side of the embankment.

“We knew were gathering speed and the next thing we knew we were just running and then we tumbled three times.”