At least four people, including two children aged 12 and 15, were killed when a school minibus carrying seven children collided with a train in northern Belgium on Tuesday, authorities said.
The victims also included the bus driver and an adult accompanying the children, according to RTL TV, citing Transport Minister Jean-Luc Cruque.
What do we know about the accident in Belgium?
Krucke said two other people were seriously injured in the crash, which happened at a level crossing near the town of Bugenhout, about 23 kilometers (about 14 miles) from the capital Brussels.
Security cameras showed that the crossing’s safety barriers had been lowered, Crooke said, which was confirmed by railway infrastructure operator Infrabel.
“The impact was extremely violent,” Infrabel spokesman Frederic Sacre told AFP news agency, describing the death toll as “dramatic.”
“It happened at about 8:08 a.m. (0608 GMT) when a minibus collided with a train that was scheduled to stop at the next station, about a kilometer away,” he said.
“The minibus crashed into a metal pylon about 15 meters (50 feet) below,” he said.
The other five children on the bus were hospitalized with serious injuries, but are in stable condition, according to Lisa de Wilde, a spokeswoman for the regional prosecutor’s office.
The other two people who died included a 49-year-old bus driver and a 27-year-old adult accompanying him, he said.
It is being told that the bus was going to a special education school.
official condolences
Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin said
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was heartbroken by the news.
“My deepest condolences go out to the families of the victims and their loved ones. Today, Europe grieves with Belgium,” he posted online.
Poor record of level crossing accidents in Belgium
Belgium has a dense railway network and has seen several accidents at level crossings in recent years.
According to the Infrabel website, five people were killed in such accidents last year, the lowest number since 2020.
Edited by: Richard Connor
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