Two people have died, a young girl and an 18-year-old, as a result of a serious bus accident in the eastern part of France, local authorities have announced.
The accident occurred Friday, about seven o’clock, in Lent City, on a bus traveling from Lyon to Bourg-en-Bresse.
According to the Bourg-en-Bresse Prosecutor, there were 43 people on the bus, including 15 children. In addition to the two victims, three people are in critical condition, while at least 13 others have suffered minor injuries.
The town’s mayor, Yves Crestin, has told French media that the bus is out of the way and crashed into a tree in a side channel.
I spent a few minutes after the accident and people were in shock. The bus’s side was torn apart, and clearly the people in that section must have been seriously injured, he told BFM TV television.
Authorities have identified the two people who lost their lives, however, the media have reported different data about the girl’s age.
The prosecution has launched investigations into the case, under suspicion of death due to negligence in traffic and causing serious injuries under serious circumstances.
The bus driver, who has also suffered injuries, has been taken to the hospital and has not yet been questioned by police. French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot has indicated that initial tests have not shown traces of alcohol or drugs in his blood.
Speaking of weather conditions at the moment of the accident, the mayor said there was little fog and the road was wet, but there were no major difficulties in circulation.
Meanwhile, Minister Tabarot has explained that the bus was not exclusive for student transportation, but among the travelers, there were many children going to school.
At the scene, over 100 firefighters and 50 members of the gendarmerie have been interviewed. Medical helicopters have also been engaged in transporting the injured.
French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed condolences to the families of the victims and solidarity with all the injured.
In a response to the X platform, he has thanked the rescue teams for their intervention.
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has also named the tragic accident, thanking firefighters, medical teams and police for their commitment to the scene.
Source Layer: Dukeagini