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| Driver killed as coach carrying British schoolchildren crashes in Belgium | Driver killed as coach carrying British schoolchildren crashes in Belgium |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A coach driver was killed and a 13-year-old boy suffered a fractured skull when the vehicle carrying 34 British schoolchildren crashed in Belgium. | A coach driver was killed and a 13-year-old boy suffered a fractured skull when the vehicle carrying 34 British schoolchildren crashed in Belgium. |
| Brentwood school in Essex confirmed that the coach was carrying children aged between 11 and 13, and that one child was in intensive care after suffering a head injury. | |
| One of the coach drivers, James “Geordie” Chance, died on Sunday. The grandfather of five, from Lisburn in County Antrim, was believed to have been sitting next to the coach’s driver when it crashed into a motorway bridge. An assistant driver was also injured. | |
| Six teachers were on the coach, which was travelling to Cologne in Germany when it crashed into a bridge in Middelkerke, West Flanders, and came off the road. Photographs show it lying on its side with the front completely destroyed. | Six teachers were on the coach, which was travelling to Cologne in Germany when it crashed into a bridge in Middelkerke, West Flanders, and came off the road. Photographs show it lying on its side with the front completely destroyed. |
| One teacher is thought to have broken a collar bone in the accident, which happened at about 9.45am local time (8.45am BST). | One teacher is thought to have broken a collar bone in the accident, which happened at about 9.45am local time (8.45am BST). |
| Speaking at a press conference on Sunday evening Middelkerke’s mayor Janna Rommel-Opstaele confirmed that one adult, believed to be the assistant driver, and two children were still in hospital. She said those in hospital would be monitored throughout the night and the parents of the children were at their bedsides. | |
| Middelkerke and Nieuwpoort sent 35 firefighters,10 police officers and 10 members of the civil defence force to the scene of the crash. Ten ambulances, three doctors, and three nurses were also at the scene, and a team of Red Cross volunteers was deployed to help the children in Middelkerke. | |
| Twenty-five children are already on their way home, while the remaining seven and the staff are expected to leave Belgium on a coach later on Sunday. | |
| The head of Brentwood school, Ian Davies, said: “All of the children managed to walk off the coach. One of the children had a head injury. He had a scan and they found a small brain bleed as part of his fractured skull.” | The head of Brentwood school, Ian Davies, said: “All of the children managed to walk off the coach. One of the children had a head injury. He had a scan and they found a small brain bleed as part of his fractured skull.” |
| The coach is owned by Richmond Coaches of Ballinderry Road, Lisburn, in Northern Ireland. A company spokesman confirmed it employed only Northern Irish drivers. | The coach is owned by Richmond Coaches of Ballinderry Road, Lisburn, in Northern Ireland. A company spokesman confirmed it employed only Northern Irish drivers. |
| He added that it was now trying to establish the identity of the driver and his assistant, adding: “Any incident involving a coach crash like this is clearly a tragedy.” | He added that it was now trying to establish the identity of the driver and his assistant, adding: “Any incident involving a coach crash like this is clearly a tragedy.” |
| The coach, which was carrying children and their teachers on a language trip, overturned on the A18/E40 motorway, which runs to the Channel ferry ports and Channel tunnel, trapping the passengers for a short period before they were rescued. Three pupils and two teachers were taken to hospital. Those who escaped injury were taken to a nearby swimming pool. | The coach, which was carrying children and their teachers on a language trip, overturned on the A18/E40 motorway, which runs to the Channel ferry ports and Channel tunnel, trapping the passengers for a short period before they were rescued. Three pupils and two teachers were taken to hospital. Those who escaped injury were taken to a nearby swimming pool. |
| The children are believed to be year seven and eight pupils from the private school, which takes day and boarding pupils. They were setting out on a four-day trip and had left the school at 4am on Sunday. | The children are believed to be year seven and eight pupils from the private school, which takes day and boarding pupils. They were setting out on a four-day trip and had left the school at 4am on Sunday. |
| A spokesman for the Foreign Office said it was working with the Belgian authorities to establish details of the incident. | |
| In a statement, the school said: “We have been informed that the driver was killed in the collision and his assistant has been severely injured. Our thoughts are clearly with his family and all the families of the pupils and teachers involved.” | In a statement, the school said: “We have been informed that the driver was killed in the collision and his assistant has been severely injured. Our thoughts are clearly with his family and all the families of the pupils and teachers involved.” |
| A school spokeswoman said that other children had been lucky to escape with less serious injuries, some suffering broken bones and cuts. | A school spokeswoman said that other children had been lucky to escape with less serious injuries, some suffering broken bones and cuts. |
| Davies also sent his condolences to the family of the coach driver, adding that he did not know whether the school had used the company before. The head said he wanted to thank and congratulate all the teachers who were there in what was a “terribly difficult situation”, adding: “And some of them are actually quite badly injured.” | Davies also sent his condolences to the family of the coach driver, adding that he did not know whether the school had used the company before. The head said he wanted to thank and congratulate all the teachers who were there in what was a “terribly difficult situation”, adding: “And some of them are actually quite badly injured.” |
| The tour was organised by the NST group, a company that organises school trips. | The tour was organised by the NST group, a company that organises school trips. |
| Brentwood School dates back to 1557 and is set in more than 72 acres in the centre of the town. | Brentwood School dates back to 1557 and is set in more than 72 acres in the centre of the town. |