An 18‑year‑old man and a 7‑year‑old girl were killed in a bus crash on Friday morning in eastern France, while about twenty people were injured, authorities said. The accident occurred at approximately 07:30 on the departmental road D22 near the town of Lent, in the Ain department. A regional intercity bus traveling between Lyon and Bourg‑en‑Bresse was involved. The vehicle carried 43 passengers, including 15 minors who were on their way to school, according to the local prosecutor’s office, which has opened a homicide investigation. The bus driver, who is hospitalized, has not yet been questioned. According to the mayor of Lent, Yves Cristin, the bus “went off the road and struck a tree in the verge.” Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said that, at present, there is no clear explanation for the crash and that sufficient testimonies are not yet available. He added that the vehicle was in “very good condition” and that the driver, described as a “young” and “new” employee of the transport company, had tested negative for drugs. Preliminary figures show two fatalities, three people in critical condition, and around twenty others injured. Bus accidents are rare in France. In January 2025, a high‑school student died and 20 students were injured when a school bus, driven by a driver who had consumed drugs, overturned on a road near Châteaudun.
Article source: El Comercio | Image credit: El Comercio