The bus that collided with the truck, inset, was carrying members of the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team, pictured.
The bus that collided with the truck, inset, was carrying members of the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team, pictured.
Emergency room doctor Hassan Masri said the images from the horrific bus crash reminded him of what he saw during his time in Syria.
A doctor who treated the victims of a tragic crash that killed 15 junior hockey players in Canada has compared the horrific scene to what he witnessed during his time in Syria.
Hassan Masri, an emergency room doctor at Saskatoon's Royal University Hospital who has done work in the war-torn nation, said the crash reminded him of the devastation caused by airstrikes, said the Daily Mail.
"I was exposed to images that I still remember until today, and frankly what happened last night really brought all these images back," Masri told the Star.
"It's never normal to see young people injured in a horrible way like that, and those images will, I think, be in my mind for a very long time, and potentially, forever."
Masri called the night the most "the longest, worst and most tragic night of my career" on a Facebook post.
Photographs of the wreckage showed the twisted trailer with most of its wheels in the air and the bus on its side and its back portion destroyed.
As details of the accident on a highway in Saskatchewan emerged, Canadians were moved to tears on Saturday as they learned of the identities of the deceased on the bus driving the Humboldt Broncos hockey team to a crucial playoff game.
The bus was carrying the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team. Photo / AP
The victims so far have been identified by friends and family as Head Coach Darcy Haugan, team Captain Logan Schatz, 20, Jaxon Joseph, 20, Stephen Wack, 21, Adam Herold, 16, Logan Hunter, 18, and radio announcer Tyler Bieber.
Logan Boulet, 21, was taken off life support on Saturday and his organs were donated.
A heart-wrenching photo that emerged on social media showed survivors Derek Patter, Graysen Cameron and Nick Shumlanski holding hands as they recover at the hospital.
"Meeting each family and explaining the extent of each injury was nothing short of a painful exercise of cruelty," Masri said.
"Families waiting for hours to identify their loved ones and smiling of joy at the idea of a significant injury as long as it meant that their loved one was alive brought chills to my spine."
The wreckage of a fatal crash outside of Tisdale. Photo / AP
Canadians have come together to support the victims' families and a GoFundMe page has raised more than $2.5million in less than 48 hours.
According to local news outlet CTV, there was a three-hour wait at a Saskatoon blood clinic as people were eager to help in any way they could.
The sports world also paid tribute to the team: A moment of silence was held at the NCAA men's hockey national title game and the Texas Rangers game on Saturday.
Young fans hold up tribute signs for the Humboldt Broncos, who were involved in a bus crash, prior to an NHL game between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Calgary Flames. Photo / AP
Team Captain Logan Schatz's father Kelly said his 20-year-old son played for the Broncos for just over four years and had served as team captain for the past two-and-a-half years.
Meanwhile tributes poured in online for Coach Haugan, a father of two who was described as an amazing mentor to young players.
The Humboldt Broncos are a close-knit team from the small city of Humboldt, Saskatchewan, which has a population of about 6,000.
The bus was carrying the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team.
Many gathered at the community centre at the hockey arena there after word of the horrific crash began to circulate.
Humboldt Mayor Rob Muench, wearing a green and yellow Broncos team jersey, hugged people Saturday morning as they came to the Elger Petersen Arena in the Saskatchewan town to comfort each other and learn more.
"It's overwhelming. It's been tough on everybody," Muench said in a phone interview.
"We're a small community; some of those kids have been on the team for a number of years. A lot grew up in the community and everybody knows each other.
Team President Kevin Garinger said parents from across western Canada were struggling to cope with the tragedy and were rushing to the scene.
"Our whole community is in shock, we are grieving and we will continue to grieve throughout this ordeal as we try to work toward supporting each other," he said.
Michelle Straschnitzki, who lives in Airdrie, Alberta, said her 18-year-old son Ryan was transported to a hospital in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
"We talked to him, but he said he couldn't feel his lower extremities so I don't know what's going on," she said.
"I am freaking out. I am so sad for all of the teammates and I am losing my mind."
Canadian police said the truck driver was initially detained but has since been released and provided with mental health assistance.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Assistant Commissioner Curtis Zablocki said it is too early to state a cause for the crash.
