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British schoolchildren in fatal coach crash in Belgium British schoolchildren in fatal coach crash in Belgium
(about 2 hours later)
A coach with 34 British schoolchildren on board has overturned on a motorway in Belgium, killing at least one person, according to reports. A coach driver from a company in Northern Ireland has been killed and his assistant seriously injured after the vehicle carrying pupils and staff from Brentwood school in Essex crashed in Belgium.
Photographs from the scene showed children still trapped in the vehicle, which was lying on its side on the E40 motorway that runs to the Channel ferry ports and Channel tunnel, public radio channel RTBF said. One child is in intensive care in hospital after suffering a head injury, a spokesman for the school said.
The bus reportedly overturned on the E40 motorway in the Middelkerke area of West Flanders at 9.45am local time (8.45am BST). Unconfirmed eyewitness reports have stated that the bus crashed into the pillar of a motorway bridge. The coach, which was carrying 34 schoolchildren and their teachers on a language trip, overturned on the A18/E40 motorway that runs to the Channel ferry ports and Channel tunnel, trapping the passengers for a short period.
The Belgian newspaper Le Soir reported that the driver of the coach has been seriously injured while the co-driver who was at his side has been killed. It is understood that all passengers have now been rescued, and that three pupils and two teachers were taken hospital. Those who escaped injury were taken to a nearby swimming pool.
According to the paper there were 34 British children on board, six adults and two drivers. According to various reports in the Flemmish media at least 36 people have been injured. There is a huge rescue operation in place. The children are believed to be year seven and eight pupils. They were setting out on a four-day trip and had left the school at 4am on Sunday.
The coach belonged to firm Richmond Coaches, based near Belfast in Northern Ireland. The accident happened near the town on Middelkerke in West Flanders at 9.45am local time (8.45am BST). A major rescue operation was mounted and the road closed. Pictures showed the bus lying on its side.
A man who answered the firm’s out-of-hours line described the crash as an “awful tragedy”, according to the Daily Mirror. Unconfirmed eyewitness reports suggest the bus crashed into the central reservation and then into a pillar of a bridge.
“I can confirm that it was one of our coaches. We are working with the authorities,” he said. “Obviously it is an awful time for both families and the coach firm staff.” The vehicle belonged to Richmond Coaches, based in Lisburn, County Antrim. A man who answered the firm’s out-of-hours line described the crash as an “awful tragedy”, according to the Daily Mirror. “I can confirm that it was one of our coaches. We are working with the authorities,” he said. “Obviously it is an awful time for both families and the coach firm staff.”
Police were not available for immediate comment. The tour was organised by the NST group, a company that organises school trips.
A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said it was aware of the crash and was working with the Belgian authorities to establish further details.