Two dead after bus crashes in France, officials say

Bus leaves road near Lent, killing child and young adult

A bus travelling from Lyon to Bourg-en-Bresse crashed early Friday near the town of Lent in eastern France, killing a young girl and an 18-year-old man, local authorities said. The accident happened around 07:00 local time, about 34 miles from the Swiss border. Mayor Yves Cristin told French media the bus “left the road and hit a tree in the ditch.” He arrived minutes after the crash and described people in shock. “The side of the bus was torn off, and clearly, the people who were on that side must have been seriously injured,” he told BFM TV.

The Bourg-en-Bresse prosecutor’s office said 43 passengers were on board, including 15 children. Three people were in critical condition and 13 had minor injuries. The driver was hospitalised and has not yet been questioned. Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said initial tests showed no traces of alcohol or drugs in the driver’s blood.

More than 100 firefighters and 50 gendarmes responded, and medical helicopters took the seriously injured to a specialised hospital. The local town hall was opened for shelter. The prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation for road homicide and aggravated road traffic injuries.

Weather conditions were not seen as a major factor. Cristin told Le Figaro there was “a bit of fog, the road was wet” but “no major difficulties.” Fabrice Pannekoucke, head of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, said no particular explanation could be given at this stage.