School bus struck by train in Flanders leaves at least four dead, including two students

Brussels – A train has collided with a school bus at a level crossing near Buggenhout, a Belgian town of 15,000 inhabitants located in the province of East Flanders. The accident occurred at around 8 am this morning (26 May) and, according to reports by the local broadcaster RTL, according to Belgium’s Transport Minister, Jean-Luc Crucke, there are reportedly at least four fatalities: two of the seven pupils on board the coach, their teacher, and the driver. 

Further details were provided at a press conference held around lunchtime. In particular, a spokesperson for the East Flanders Public Prosecutor’s Office stated that the two boys who lost their lives were aged 12 and 15, and that five other schoolmates were reported to be seriously injured. None of the train passengers, however, seems to have sustained significant injuries. 

As for the circumstances of the accident, an initial account was provided by Thomas Baeken, the spokesperson for Infrabel, the company that manages the Belgian rail network. Speaking to the Flemish broadcaster VRT, Baeken stated that “the collision occurred at 8.08 am and footage shows that the level crossing barriers were down and the signal was red” at the time of the impact between the train and the bus. Coming from a parallel road, the school bus is believed to have turned left across the tracks. According to Baeken, “the train driver applied the emergency brakes, but the collision was unavoidable.” 

The students on board the bus were all pupils at the Ritchmont Campus in Buggenhout, a school that mainly caters for secondary school pupils, and the vehicle they were travelling in was operating as a subcontractor for the regional public transport company, De Lijn. 

Leading institutional representatives from Belgium and the European Union have already sent their messages of condolence. “Deeply saddened by the terrible accident in Buggenhout, my thoughts are with the families affected,” wrote on X the country’s Prime Minister, Bart De Wever. Also via X, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, expressed her “deepest condolences to the families of the victims and their relatives.” She added that “today Europe mourns with Belgium.” The President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, said he was “deeply saddened by the tragic collision,” sending his thoughts to the victims and their loved ones and wishing “ all those injured a swift recovery.”

Condolences also came from the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola: ”
The grief and heartbreak are immense today.

It is unbearable to imagine the pain the tragic collision between a train and a school bus in Buggenhout has brought, on what should have been an ordinary morning.

Today, Europe stands together in mourning with the families of the victims and with all those injured and affected by this terrible day.

Europe grieves with you,” wrote on X.