Driver killed as bus crashes en route to holiday cruise

(CNN) -- A bus taking a group of friends to Florida for a holiday cruise ran off the interstate and into trees early Monday, killing the driver and injuring 30 passengers, South Carolina police and a bus company employee said.

The bus with about 60 people ran off Interstate 26 about three miles west of Ridgeville, South Carolina, said state Highway Patrol spokesman Bob Beres.

The crash happened just after 1 a.m. ET, about 45 miles from St. Stephen, South Carolina, where the passengers boarded the bus, Beres said.

A passenger, who was listed in serious condition, was taken by helicopter to a Charleston hospital. Another 30 passengers were taken to hospitals in private cars and ambulances, Beres said. Watch as authorities respond to the crash »

Most of the passengers were adults, and none of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening, said Doug Warren, director of Dorchester County Emergency Medical Service.

The bus was chartered from Five Star Transportation in Bonneau, South Carolina, Beres said.

The passengers were friends traveling to Miami, Florida, to board a ship for a Thanksgiving cruise, a bus company employee said.

The National Weather Service reported light rain in the area, but Beres said it was too early to tell if weather played a factor in the crash.

The bus driver was planning to take I-26 to I-95, which takes travelers from South Carolina to Miami, but the accident occurred about 15 miles before that interchange.

The bus left the road about 45 miles northwest of Charleston. I-26 was closed for hours following the accident, Beres said. E-mail to a friend

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