A young girl and an 18-year-old man died following a bus accident in eastern France on Friday morning. The vehicle, which was carrying 43 passengers including 15 children, crashed in the town of Lent while traveling between Lyon and Bourg-en-Bresse.
Details of the Incident
According to the Bourg-en-Bresse prosecutor’s office, the crash occurred at approximately 07:00 local time. In addition to the two fatalities, three individuals remain in critical condition, and at least 13 others suffered minor injuries. The bus reportedly veered off the road and collided with a tree in a ditch. Images from the scene show a blue and white bus with significant damage to its front and side, resting in a roadside ditch lined with trees.
Lent Mayor Yves Cristin, who arrived shortly after the accident, described the scene as one of shock. He told BFM TV that the side of the bus was torn away, noting that passengers seated on that side likely sustained the most severe injuries. Regarding environmental factors, the mayor told Le Figaro that while there was some fog and the road surface was wet, there were no major driving hazards present.
Investigation and Official Response
The prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation into the crash, focusing on charges of road homicide and aggravated road traffic injuries. The driver, who was injured in the collision, has been hospitalized and has not yet undergone police questioning. However, Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot stated that preliminary testing showed no evidence of drugs or alcohol in the driver’s system.
Fabrice Pannekoucke, head of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, noted that it is too early to determine the specific cause of the accident. While the bus was not used exclusively for school transport, officials confirmed that many students were on board at the time. Education Minister Édouard Geffray expressed the difficulty of the situation, stating it is “always difficult when our children are victims of accidents of this nature.”
President Emmanuel Macron addressed the tragedy on X, expressing his support for the victims and their families while thanking the emergency responders. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu also offered his condolences, acknowledging the efforts of the medical teams, police, and firefighters.
Emergency response efforts involved more than 100 firefighters and 50 gendarmes. Medical helicopters were utilized to transport the most severely injured passengers to specialized hospital facilities, while the local town hall was opened to provide shelter and assist in coordinating the emergency response.
