At least four people, including two children, were killed after a train collided with a school minibus in northern Belgium on Tuesday morning. The accident occurred at a railway level crossing in the village of Buggenhout.
Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister Maxime Prevot described the incident as a “tragic collision” in a post on X. "A tragic collision between a train and a school bus took place in Buggenhout this morning. Four people have been killed, including two children. I would like to thank my colleagues from other countries who have already come forward to express their solidarity, and I naturally join them in offering my condolences to the families of the victims. My thoughts are with them, and also with the emergency services who had to deal with this harrowing incident," he wrote.
According to officials, the minibus was carrying seven children, along with a driver and a supervisor, at the time of the crash.
Police spokesperson Frederic Sacre said the collision happened around 8:08 am local time when the train, which was nearing its next station, struck the vehicle with tremendous force. He termed the consequences “dramatic”.
Belgian media broadcast images showing the heavily damaged minibus lying beside the railway tracks while emergency personnel worked at the scene.
Interior Minister Bernard Quintin expressed condolences to the victims’ families and wished strength to those injured.
