5 dead, many hurt in Belgian bus crash

Mon, 15 April 2013

BRUSSELS — Five people died and several badly injured when a bus carrying Russian youngsters on their way to Paris crashed early yesterday in northern Belgium, officials said.
The Polish-registered bus had 42 passengers on board when it swerved off the E34 highway approaching the port city of Antwerp at around 6:30 am (0430 GMT).
A spokesman for the local commune of Ranst, about 10 kilometres from Antwerp, said three of the young passengers died along with the two Polish drivers.
Nineteen people were injured. Six of them suffered serious injuries, including one who is in critical condition. The other 13 have left hospital after receiving treatment.

Early reports said the passengers were aged between 15 and 22 years, but the Ranst spokesman said some were as young as 10.
In a statement, the commune said the passengers were all from Volgograd in southeastern Russia and were en route to Paris.
Contacted by AFP, the Russian embassy in Brussels was not able to provide any immediate information.
Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo said his "thoughts go to the victims. ... The Belgian emergency services and authorities (are doing) everything to help."
A spokesman for Interior Minister Joelle Milquet said the government was working together with Russian and Polish diplomats here to organise facilities for the families of the victims if they decide to come to Belgium.
Pictures showed the badly damaged bus lying on its side some five metres (15 feet) below a bridge carrying the highway and then being righted by a crane and put back on the road.
Reports said no other vehicle was involved and the bus apparently swerved off the road and through a guard rail, sliding down the embankment of the bridge before coming to a halt underneath.
The immediate cause of the crash was unknown, with no signs that the bus had braked sharply.