Two people have died and 16 others have been injured after a bus crashed in eastern France on Friday morning, according to authorities and reports from the scene.
The accident occurred at approximately 07:00 local time near Lent, in the Ain department, north-east of Lyon and close to the Swiss border.
The victims were identified as one minor and one young adult. Three of the injured people were reported to be in critical condition, while the remaining passengers sustained less serious injuries.
Local mayor Yves Cristin said the vehicle had left the road before hitting a tree in a roadside ditch. The circumstances that caused the driver to lose control had not been established in the initial reports.
Students among those affected
The incident involved a bus carrying passengers that included school students travelling in the region. French Education Minister Édouard Geffray acknowledged the involvement of pupils and expressed sympathy for the victims, their families and the wider education community.
The description of the vehicle differed slightly in early accounts: the mayor referred to a school bus, while the local prefecture described it as an intercity service.
The crash prompted a major emergency response, with firefighters, police officers and medical teams sent to the area. Helicopter support was also deployed to assist with transporting seriously injured people to specialised medical facilities.
Authorities respond to the tragedy
Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said he was travelling to the accident site as emergency operations continued.
Local authorities also made community facilities available to support people affected by the incident and their relatives.
Investigators are expected to establish what happened before the bus left the road. The cause of the crash had not been confirmed in the initial information released by officials.
The tragedy has renewed attention on road safety, particularly where public transport services carry young passengers.
