Eight wounded in Moscow taxi crash amid world cup fever

Moscow [Russia], June 17 (ANI): At least eight persons were wounded when a taxi crashed into a crowd of pedestrians on a sidewalk near Red Square in Moscow on Saturday.

The preliminary cause of the road accident is failure to control the vehicle, reported Russian news agency TASS.

The driver, who has been detained, has claimed that the road accident was unintended. The taxi driver had reportedly fallen asleep at the wheel.

The accident took place on Ilinka Street, about 650 feet from Red Square and Moscow's famous GUM shopping arcade, as per media reports.

An investigation is underway and the injured have been taken to the hospital in the area.

Mexico's embassy in Moscow stated that two of its citizens were among the injured.

It is pertinent to mention that Russia is hosting the World Cup and the streets of Moscow have been thronged with foreign visitors and Mexico is all set to play against Germany on Sunday in Moscow, one of 11 host cities for the tournament.

Taking note of the incident, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin took to Twitter and wrote, "There was an unpleasant incident with a taxi. The driver lost control of the vehicle."(ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI