European Games: Bus driver held over injured athletes

Vanessa Sahinovic, 15, flew home to Austria on a jet belonging to Azerbaijan President Aliyev

The Azerbaijani authorities have arrested a bus driver whose vehicle injured three teenage Austrian swimmers ahead of Baku's European Games.

Veli Ahmadov has been accused of a breach of road rules and his employer may face legal action, officials said.

Synchronised swimmer Vanessa Sahinovic, 15, suffered "severe injuries" in the crash and was put in an induced coma.

Another athlete, Luna Pajer, broke an elbow while the third suffered only bruising.

Sahinovic underwent 10 hours of surgery in Vienna after being flown from Azerbaijan, and a hospital spokesman said on Friday that further surgery would be necessary.

The incident occurred in the athlete's village.

Reports in Azerbaijani media suggested alcohol may have been a factor in the crash and that some staff had been drunk on duty in the village.

Organisers said on Saturday they were looking into the allegations but said there was no evidence to link the claims to the bus incident.

The incident occurred at the athletes' village in Baku