Albania Cancels Eurovision Broadcast After Bus Crash

Albania's national flag flies at half staff in Tirana's Skanderbeg Square Tuesday May 22, 2012 as Albanians mark a day of mourning for the death of 13 people in a bus crash Monday | Photo by : Hektor Pustina/AP

"We express our deepest sympathy to those who are affected by this terrible tragedy and have the utmost respect for the RTSH’s request," said Jon Ola Sand, Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of the EBU, in a statement published on the Eurovision website.

Albania's participant in the song contest, Kosovo born Rona Nishliu, is due to perform in the first semi-final on Tuesday.

According to EBU the decision to defer the broadcast of the first semi-final will have no consequences for Albania's participation in the contest.

Albania declared a day of national morning on Tuesday after thirteen people died when a bus carrying literature students drove off a cliff near the town of Himara in Southern Albania. 

Twenty five people were injured, and some remain in a serious condition. The injured are being treated at Tirana’s military hospital.

The cause of the accident is unclear and an investigation has been launched.