A 60-year-old man was killed in a collision between a bus and private vehicle on Route 55 in Samaria.

Four were injured in the crash – one, a 60-year old woman, moderately and the rest lightly.

Route 55 has been blocked in both directions to traffic from Alfe Menashe until Neve Yamin. Drivers are requested to find alternate routes.

According to the initial investigation the private car attempted to execute a U-turn in the middle of Route 55 and failed to complete the turn before an approaching bus struck the car.

In a video recording of the accident, the bus is seen attempting to pull over to the left to avoid the car, but as the private car swings around to complete the U-turn the two vehicles collide.

Moshe Ran, a senior MDA paramedic who arrived at the scene described the incident.

“We saw a private car that collided with a bus. Two passengers were trapped inside the car; the driver, a roughly 60-year old man, was found with no vital signs and after he was pulled out of the car we were forced to declare him dead at the scene. In the front passenger seat a woman who appeared to be in her 60s was trapped; she was suffering from injuries to her chest and head. After she received first aid on the spot we evacuated her to Meir Hospital [in nearby Kfar Saba]; her injuries were moderate-to-light. We also treated several passengers on the bus who suffered from light injuries”