Belgium: Train collides with school bus, several dead

At least four people, including two children aged 12 and 15, were killed when a train collided with a school minibus carrying seven children in northern Belgium on Tuesday, officials said.

The victims also included the bus driver and an adult accompanying the children, according to RTL TV, which cited Transport Minister Jean-Luc Crucke.

What do we know about the accident in Belgium?

Crucke said two other people were severely injured in the accident, which occurred on a level crossing near the town of Buggenhout, some 23 kilometers (about 14 miles) from the capital, Brussels.

Security cameras showed that the crossing's security barriers had come down, Crucke said, something confirmed by railway infrastructure operator Infrabel.

"The impact was extremely violent," Infrabel spokesman Frederic Sacre told the AFP news agency, describing the toll as "dramatic."

"It happened at around 8:08 am (0608 GMT) when a minibus was struck by a train that was due to stop at the next station, which was about a kilometer away," he said.

"The minibus was thrown about 15 meters (50 feet) into a metal pylon," he said.

The other five children on the bus were hospitalized with critical injuries but were in a stable condition, according to Lisa De Wilde, a spokeswoman for the regional prosecutor's office.

The other two fatalities were the bus driver, 49, and a 27-year-old accompanying adult, she said.

The bus was reportedly headed for a special education school.
  

Official condolences

Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin said on X that "it is with deep ⁠sadness ​that I learned of ​the tragic accident that occurred in Buggenhout," adding that his "thoughts go out to the victims and their loved ones."

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was "heartbroken" at the news.

"My deepest condolences go out to the victims' families and their loved ones. Today, Europe grieves with Belgium," she posted online. 

Bad record of level crossing accidents in Belgium

Belgium has a dense railway network and has seen several accidents at level crossings in recent years.

Last year, five people were killed in such accidents, the lowest number since 2020, according to the Infrabel website.

Edited by: Richard Connor 

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