Moscow taxi crashes into crowd, injuring eight

Mexican world cup fans among hurt as Moscow mayor claims the driver lost control

Saturday 16 June 2018 18:24 BST
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Taxi driver tries to flee scene after crashing into crowd in Moscow

A taxi has ploughed into a crowd, including World Cup fans, in central Moscow, injuring eight.

Two Mexico supporters were among those hurt during the incident in the city’s Ilyinka Street, close to Red Square on Saturday.

Video footage captured by a security camera apparently shows the yellow cab swerving, mounting a pavement and accelerating into the crowd. The vehicle is seen driving several metres with people clinging to the bonnet before it crashes into a road sign.

The driver, who has been identified as Kyrgyzstan national Anarbek Chyngyz, appears to try to flee the scene, but is caught and held by onlookers.

“He was pulled out of the vehicle, he ran off but bystanders apprehended him. He was shouting: ‘It wasn’t me’,” according to a witness quoted by The Sun.

The incident comes as Russia is on a heightened terror alert while hosting this summer’s World Cup. But authorities have since claimed they believed the incident was not intentional.

They said Mr Chyngyz has been charged with several traffic violations but did not announce any other charges, according to the Interfax news agency in the Russian capital.

The aftermath of the crash in central Moscow

Apparently playing down the incident, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin later tweeted: “There was an unpleasant incident with a taxi. The driver lost control of the vehicle.”

None of those hurt are understood to be in a critical condition, although one woman has sustained serious injuries. A Russian and Ukrainian were also among those who were taken to hospital.

The street – about 200m from Moscow’s famous GUM shopping arcade – was blocked off for a short period but has now reopened.

Mexico are due to play Germany in their first group game at the city’s Luzhniki Stadium on Sunday.

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