- Reports: Coach went over a cliff after brakes failed on mountain road
- People believed to have been trapped inside the vehicle which caught fire
- Three seriously injured passengers are receiving treatment in hospital
- Identity of driver has not yet been released
- The 51 passengers are understood have finished working a ski season
A British driver has died and dozens of tourists injured after a coach careered off a cliff and burst into flames in the French Alps.
The accident happened at around 2pm this afternoon in the Alpe d'Huez ski resort - three passengers are understood to be in a serious condition, while 17 suffered minor injuries.
UK travel organisation Abta said the 51 passengers were staff who were on their way home having been working for a Brighton-based ski company at Alpe d'Huez and other resorts.
The identity of the driver has not been released but all travelling on the coach are believed to have been British
People were believed to have been trapped inside the vehicle which caught fire.
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According to local reports, the panicked bus driver shouted to his passengers that there was a problem just moments before the crash.
A helicopter was seen at the site airlifting passengers to hospital and several passengers were taken for treatment by road.
Details of those injured and the driver have not yet been released.
A Grenoble police spokesman said: 'There is not much information at the moment but on the face of it, at least one Briton has died.'
The coach reportedly burst into flames after careering off the road in Alpe d'Huez
Failed: A firefighter works on the wreckage of the coach - their coach careered off a steep mountain road which has 21 hairpin bends - leading to fears that the v
Help: A helicopter was seen at the site airlifting passengers to hospital and several passengers were taken for treatment by road
ehicle's brakes may have failed
Help: A helicopter was seen at the site airlifting passengers to hospital and several passengers were taken for treatment by road
'We do not know how the crash happened.'
He said all the passengers on the bus were believed to be British.
UK coach operator TGM confirmed that one of its Classic Coach chartered services, carrying 51 British passengers on behalf of tour operator TUI, was the bus involved in the accident.
Heath Williams, managing director of TGM, said: 'We are clearly shocked by this accident and our thoughts are with the family and friends of those involved. We have had unconfirmed reports from the scene of the incident however are awaiting official confirmation relating to those involved.
'It is too early to say what caused the accident, however, we have launched a full investigation and are working closely with the local authorities. Our own safety specialist is also en route to the scene to support the investigation.
'We are offering our full support to the families of our drivers and to all those passengers who were involved in this tragic incident.'
British travel organisation Abta said: 'The 51 passengers travelling from Alpe d'Huez had been on their way home after finishing their ski season working for Skibound in various ski resorts across the French Alps. Also on board the coach were two drivers from the coach company.
'We have been informed that one person has been taken by air ambulance to the local hospital.
A Ski Club of Great Britain spokeswoman said: 'We don't know if they were travelling with a tour operator or not.
'Alpe d'Huez is one of the largest French ski resorts and welcomes quite a few British tourists.'
A Foreign Office spokesman said: 'We are aware of reports and are looking into them urgently.'
Sir Peter Ricketts, the British Ambassador to France, was travelling to the scene of the crash this afternoon.
He wrote: 'Our thoughts are with those involved in the coach crash in Isere.
'On my way with consular support.'
Alpe d'Huez, is a ski resort particularly popular with Britons.
One of the largest of the French winter sport resorts, it has featured in the Tour de France for more than 60 years.
Alpe d'Huez was also the setting for the bobsleigh events at the 1968 Winter Olympics at Grenoble.
Situated in the central French Alps, the resort boasts many miles of ski slopes and more than 80 ski lifts.
Alpe d'Huez has been called L'Ile au Soleil (Island of the Sun) as most slopes face south.
The resort gets around 300 days of sunshine a year, with up to 11 hours a day in April.
Snow has been plentiful this year, with recent reviews of the resort describing 'fantastic skiing' and 'amazing snow'.
Other recent visitors have said the resort seems to suit all grades of skier.
One review said: 'It's great for beginners and experts alike'. Another said: 'The resort lends itself to every skiing standard.'
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