advertisement

42 People Killed In Bus Crash In France

42 people have been killed in a crash between a bus and a truck in southwestern France.

- Advertisement -

The bus, which was bringing retired people on an excursion, was involved in a collision with a lorry near Bordeaux this morning.

It's the worst crash in France in more than 30 years.

At about half past seven this morning local time, a truck and a bus collided on a regional road in the western Gironde region in the small town of Puisseguin.

The bus had 50 people on board, 48 of whom were pensioners on an excursion from the small village of Petit-Palais – a community of less than 800 people.

The group were from the village's older people's club.

The vehicles collided with such force that they both caught fire. The truck driver and 41 pensioners died in the fire.

Local Mayor Xavier Sublett says 8 people escaped, due to the quick-thinking bus driver.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, along with Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve and the Tranport Minister have arrived at the scene in the past hour.

Media reports indicate that the truck driver lost control of his vehicle, with some outlets saying it had jack-knifed.

President Francois Hollande, who's in Greece, has promised an investigation into what happened.

advertisement
advertisement
advertisement