Six teenagers were killed in a crash between a school bus and a truck on Thursday morning in Rochefort in Charente-Maritime. Three people were injured.
Six teenagers were killed in a crash between a school bus and a truck on Thursday morning at 7:15 am in the centre of Rochefort (Charente-Maritime), at Louis Bachelard street. Three people were slightly injured.
According to initial findings, the truck had lost part of his trailer that hit the school bus from behind.
According to France 3 Poitou-Charentes, the bus driver and the driver of the truck were both taken into custody.
#accident #Rochefort : les 2 chauffeurs de bus et poids lourd placés en garde à vue
— F3 Poitou-Charentes (@F3PoitouChtes) February 11, 2016
The bus came from the island of Oléron and headed towards Surgères says Charente-Maritime prefecture in a statement.
Accident #Rochefort : retrouvez le communiqué du @Prefet17 sur >> https://t.co/RI71P0Wnlm pic.twitter.com/O3nZopG6na
— Ministère Intérieur (@Place_Beauvau) February 11, 2016
Questioned by France Bleu La Rochelle, Dominique Bussereau explained that “according to the information that [he] was given by the prefect (…) there is a bus line 6s that was in the port area of Rochefort that is a regular line. “
According to a spokesman for the group Keolis (SNCF subsidiary), because it belongs to the departmental network The Gulls, operated by a subsidiary of Keolis Littoral.
Youth aged 16 to 18 years
The accident involved 17 people: 15 children and two drivers. 9 people were supported by the emergency services. They were transported to hospitals in Saintes and La Rochelle.
Police and emergency services are on site. A total of 57 firefighters and three mobile structures and emergency resuscitation (MUG) are mobilized.
According to Jerome Servolle, the Unsa Police trade union, questioned by iTélé, teenagers went to the vocational school of Surgères. They were all between 16 and 18 years.
According francetvinfo The town of Surgères confirms that the bus served both the college and the Lycée in the town. The mayor, Catherine Desprez, has visited the site.
“The alcohol screenings on both drivers are negative” also said Mr. Servolle.
#Rochefort > “Les dépistages d’alcoolémie sur les deux chauffeurs s’avèrent négatifs” (Jérôme Servolle, syndicat Unsa police sur @itele)
— iTELE (@itele) February 11, 2016
The investigation was entrusted to the PJ police and public safety Charente-Maritime.
[#Rochefort] L’enquête est confiée aux policiers de la #PJ et de la sécurité publique de Charente-Maritime.
— Police Nationale (@PNationale) February 11, 2016
Trailer Detached
According to initial findings, the Lorry had lost its trailer, coming detached, that came crashing down on one side of the bus while the two vehicles crossed the roadway, said a statement from the Interior Ministry.
.@BCazeneuve exprime toute sa compassion aux familles des victimes touchées par le terrible accident de #Rochefort pic.twitter.com/5uIsnWk4Z5
— Ministère Intérieur (@Place_Beauvau) February 11, 2016
The mayor of Rochefort, Hervé Blanché, explained that the weather was moderately rainy at the time of the accident, but the rain did not seem concerned and the street where the accident occurred, which runs along the port area, presents no particular traffic problem.
According to the first elements collected by France Bleu La Rochelle, the side of the trailer, that retains the load, detached from the truck that hit the bus.
“The flatbed was open at about a 90 degree angle when the truck crossed the bus and came slicing almost up windows” , said Jérôme Servolle, the UNSA union Police, interviewed on BFM TV . “imagine the damage, carnage” , he stressed, indicating that the output of the body was underway shortly before 10:00.
The jagged coach
The white bus was shredded whole length of the left side, just below the windows, most of which were shattered, noted AFP correspondents. The greatest impact was on the left rear of the vehicle.
symbolic chapel
A crisis unit was activated and an information number for families set up: 0811000617
Hervé Blanché, the mayor of Rochefort said Thursday on ITélé a chapel prepares to host families.It is installed in the gymnasium of the old town of Rochefort.
#Rochefort une chappelle ardente est en cours d’installation au gymnase de la vieille forme #accident pic.twitter.com/1qodhNjXIH
— Bleu_La_Rochelle (@Bleu_Rochelle) February 11, 2016
However, this Shrine will be symbolic. The bodies will be directly transferred in Poitiers, France Bleu La Rochelle.
#Rochefort : Info fblr, chappelle ardente finalement symbolique au gymnase. Les corps des victimes seront directement transférés à #poitiers
— Bleu_La_Rochelle (@Bleu_Rochelle) February 11, 2016
Condolences Hollande
“All light must be shed on the circumstances of this tragedy,” said President, adding that “the president expressed his sorrow” .
J’ai appris avec émotion l’accident de car survenu ce matin près de Rochefort. J’adresse aux proches des victimes mes sincères condoléances.
— François Hollande (@fhollande) February 11, 2016
“The President of the Republic addressed to relatives of the victims its deepest condolences and assure them of the solidarity of the entire nation” , writes the presidency.
“Pain and compassion after the accident because of school in Rochefort which took 6 young lives” , reacted Manuel Valls on Twitter.
Peine et compassion après l’accident de car scolaire à Rochefort qui a pris 6 jeunes vies. @RoyalSegolene et @najatvb se rendent sur place.
— Manuel Valls (@manuelvalls) February 11, 2016
According to the Presidency, “the plane NOVI (many victims, Ed) was immediately activated and all services are on hand to provide the necessary help and support families” .
Several ministers expected on site
The Secretary of State for Transport Alain Vidal and Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, Minister of Education. are on site.
Effroi et très grande tristesse face au terrible accident de car scolaire à Rochefort. Toutes mes pensées vont aux proches et aux familles.
— Alain Vidalies (@AVidalies) February 11, 2016
#Rochefort : la ministre de l’Education @najatvb est arrivée sur place https://t.co/uzDkkydH9w pic.twitter.com/mcw1TUyNuY
— France Bleu Poitou (@Bleu_Poitou) February 11, 2016
Très vive émotion face au drame qui touche les familles & la communauté éducative à Rochefort.
— Najat Belkacem (@najatvb) February 11, 2016
The Minister for Ecology Ségolène Royal is expected as well as Dominique Bussereau, President of the Departmental Council of Charente-Maritime.
Gouvernement apporte tout son soutien aux familles des victimes de l’accident de car à Rochefort et partage leur détresse. Départ sur place.
— Ségolène Royal (@RoyalSegolene) February 11, 2016
