At least two minors killed and 16 injured after a bus accident with schoolchildren in eastern France

An accident involving a bus on an intercity transport line with schoolchildren in the town of Lent has left "several victims", announced the prefecture of Ain (in eastern France), without offering a precise balance for the moment.

The bus "went off the road and hit a tree in the ditch," the mayor of Lent, Yves Cristin, told AFP, who reported that two people were in cardiac arrest and there were numerous injuries. AFP confirms that at least two minors have died.

The accident occurred around 7:00 a.m. on the D22 departmental highway, according to the mayor.

"The departmental operational center has been activated, which makes it possible to coordinate the actions of all the agents involved in managing the crisis," adds the prefecture.

Two helicopters have been deployed, the municipal emergency plan has been launched and the neighboring municipality is in charge of hosting the families, details Yves Cristin.

The prefect of Ain, Louis-Xavier Thirode, and the Minister of Transport, Philippe Tabarot, plan to travel to the scene of the accident. "There has been an accident involving a school bus in Ain. I am going to go there immediately," declared Tabarot at the Lyon station in Paris, during the inauguration of the new TGV M high-speed train.

The minister thus refused to travel aboard the train that was scheduled to leave for Marseille shortly before 10:00 local time. "I was very excited to make the trip with you," Tabarot told those attending the event.

"A thought for these students and their families"

For his part, the French Minister of Education, Édouard Geffray, expressed his solidarity with the students affected by the bus accident and conveyed solidarity and support to the families.

"I want to have a thought for these students and their families. When our students, our children, are victims of accidents of this nature, it is always a very difficult test," declared the minister.

The head of Education stated that the Government would closely follow the evolution of the situation and conveyed to families the support of the Executive and the entire educational community.