TWELVE EAST GERMANS IN THEIR TWENTIES ATTEMPTED TO BREAK THROUGH A BARRIER OF THE BERLIN WALL AT SANDKRUG BRIDGE - A CROSSING POINT OF THE BRITISH SECTOR TODAY (SUNDAY).

THE CROSSING IS USED EACH DAY BY BUS BRINGING THE SOVIET GUARD TO THE RUSSIAN AND MEMORIAL IN THE SECTOR.THE EAST GERMANS' BUS FITTED WITH ARMOURED PLATES.BEFORE IT REACHED THE WALL, EAST GERMAN BORDER POLICE OPENED FIRE ON IT AND BULLETS PIERCED THE WINDSCREEN AND THE FRONT.

ACCORDING TO EYE-WITNESSES, THE FIRING KEPT UP FOR FIVE MINUTES.THE BUS FINALLY CAME TO A STANDSTILL BY THE WALL, WHEN IT JAMMED ON A MASSIVE CONCRETE TANK TRAP NEAR THE MIDDLE OF THE BRIDGE.SIX INSIDE WHO TRIED TO RUN AWAY WERE CAPTURED, THREE OTHERS WERE WOUNDED AND WERE CARRIED AWAY ON STRETCHERS AND THE REMAINING THREE - ALL WOMEN - CAME OUT WITH THEIR HANDS UP.LATER AN EAST GERMAN ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIER TOWED THE BUS AWAY, WHILE ANOTHER BLOCKED THE CROSSING POINT.