The driver of one of the buses shuttling from Vancouver to the mountain resort of Whistler for the Winter Olympics, died Monday of heart attack while driving his car, said organizers of the event (VANOC).

The incident occurred at 4 am local time (1200 GMT). The driver, who was not identified by VANOC, was from the United States and was 71 years.

The vehicle suffered no accident because another driver travelling on the bus managed to grab the wheel and stop the vehicle on the shoulder of the road, according to VANOC.

A fleet of 1,000 buses and 2,800 drivers are responsible for daily transport from Vancouver to Whistler and back for employees, athletes, journalists and officials from the various Olympic committees.