Similar topics
Search
Latest topics
Affiliates
Bus Crash Kills 22 Children On Ski Holiday
4 posters
Bus Crash Kills 22 Children On Ski Holiday
bb1 Wed Mar 14, 2012 11:02 am
http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16188330
Bus Crash Kills 22 Children On Ski Holiday
A bus crash in Switzerland has killed 28 Belgian and Dutch tourists, 22 of them children, on a ski trip.
The vehicle was travelling on a motorway towards Sion when it veered to the right, hit a kerb and smashed into a concrete wall of a tunnel in the Swiss Alps, near the border with Italy.
Another 24 children were injured in the crash.
Six adults, including the two coach drivers of the coach, died in the accident.
The bus, transporting 52 people from the Flemish-speaking region of Belgium, crashed on Tuesday night in the canton of Valais, an area of popular ski resorts.
The passengers were travelling from Val d'Anniviers back to Belgium.
Most of the children were aged around 12, and the bus was one of three hired by a Christian group.
An investigation to determine the cause of the crash is under way.
Belgium's Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo, who will be travelling to Switzerland later today, said this is "an extremely sad day for all of Belgium".
A statement from his office said: "The prime minister learned with dismay of the horrible accident that happened in Switzerland.
"This is a tragic day for all of Belgium.
"His first thoughts go to the victims, to the members of their family and their loved ones."
Jan Luykx, the Belgian ambassador to Switzerland, who went straight to the site of the crash, said: "This tragedy will hit the whole of Belgium."
The impact of the smash was so severe many passangers were trapped in the wreckage and had to be freed by rescuers.
Around 200 police, firefighters and medics worked through the night on board the bus, its front ripped open and broken glass and debris strewn across the road.
FAMILIES WAIT FOR NEWS OF THEIR LOVED ONES
Survivors were taken to four hospitals in the Valais region, while others were taken by helicopter to hospitals in Bern and Lausanne.
Jean-Pierre Deslarzes, a surgeon in one of the hospitals, said: "All the rescuers were shocked by what they have experienced.
"The magnitude of the accident is difficult to digest."
Swiss newspaper Blick said the coach was heading back to the cities of Lommel, close to the Dutch border, and Heverlee in Flanders.
Distraught families gathered at Saint Lambertus School in Heverlee and the Stekske school in Lommel to wait for news about their loved ones.
They are being offered counselling and arrangements are being made to fly them out to Switzerland later today by army aircraft.
Marc Carels, headteacher of Saint Lambertus School, which had 24 pupils, a teacher and a classroom assistant on the trip, said: "We know some of the children are ok, but we don't have names.
"We asked the parents to come and we are trying to comfort them."
Peter Vanvelthoven, the mayor of Lommel, where some of the children went to school, said they were also trying to help the families.
"We have arranged a reception at the school, first for the parents, for the children and for the teachers, too," he said.
Transport Minister Melchior Wathelet said: "I'm at a loss for words. Terribly hurt, terribly moved.
"We are all thinking like parents, with this terrible thought for those parents who will not see their children coming back.
"Yesterday evening, they were looking forward to seeing them and they won't see them again."
More to follow...
Bus Crash Kills 22 Children On Ski Holiday
A bus crash in Switzerland has killed 28 Belgian and Dutch tourists, 22 of them children, on a ski trip.
The vehicle was travelling on a motorway towards Sion when it veered to the right, hit a kerb and smashed into a concrete wall of a tunnel in the Swiss Alps, near the border with Italy.
Another 24 children were injured in the crash.
Six adults, including the two coach drivers of the coach, died in the accident.
The bus, transporting 52 people from the Flemish-speaking region of Belgium, crashed on Tuesday night in the canton of Valais, an area of popular ski resorts.
The passengers were travelling from Val d'Anniviers back to Belgium.
Most of the children were aged around 12, and the bus was one of three hired by a Christian group.
An investigation to determine the cause of the crash is under way.
Belgium's Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo, who will be travelling to Switzerland later today, said this is "an extremely sad day for all of Belgium".
A statement from his office said: "The prime minister learned with dismay of the horrible accident that happened in Switzerland.
"This is a tragic day for all of Belgium.
"His first thoughts go to the victims, to the members of their family and their loved ones."
Jan Luykx, the Belgian ambassador to Switzerland, who went straight to the site of the crash, said: "This tragedy will hit the whole of Belgium."
The impact of the smash was so severe many passangers were trapped in the wreckage and had to be freed by rescuers.
Around 200 police, firefighters and medics worked through the night on board the bus, its front ripped open and broken glass and debris strewn across the road.
FAMILIES WAIT FOR NEWS OF THEIR LOVED ONES
Survivors were taken to four hospitals in the Valais region, while others were taken by helicopter to hospitals in Bern and Lausanne.
Jean-Pierre Deslarzes, a surgeon in one of the hospitals, said: "All the rescuers were shocked by what they have experienced.
"The magnitude of the accident is difficult to digest."
Swiss newspaper Blick said the coach was heading back to the cities of Lommel, close to the Dutch border, and Heverlee in Flanders.
Distraught families gathered at Saint Lambertus School in Heverlee and the Stekske school in Lommel to wait for news about their loved ones.
They are being offered counselling and arrangements are being made to fly them out to Switzerland later today by army aircraft.
Marc Carels, headteacher of Saint Lambertus School, which had 24 pupils, a teacher and a classroom assistant on the trip, said: "We know some of the children are ok, but we don't have names.
"We asked the parents to come and we are trying to comfort them."
Peter Vanvelthoven, the mayor of Lommel, where some of the children went to school, said they were also trying to help the families.
"We have arranged a reception at the school, first for the parents, for the children and for the teachers, too," he said.
Transport Minister Melchior Wathelet said: "I'm at a loss for words. Terribly hurt, terribly moved.
"We are all thinking like parents, with this terrible thought for those parents who will not see their children coming back.
"Yesterday evening, they were looking forward to seeing them and they won't see them again."
More to follow...
bb1- Slayer of scums
- Location : watcher on the wall
Join date : 2011-06-24
Rose- Slayer of scums
- Join date : 2011-09-23
Re: Bus Crash Kills 22 Children On Ski Holiday
bb1 Wed Mar 14, 2012 1:51 pm
Oh Lord, Rose, I hadn't seen those pics - no wonder the death toll is so high.
Heartbreaking, those poor children, and their parents
Heartbreaking, those poor children, and their parents
bb1- Slayer of scums
- Location : watcher on the wall
Join date : 2011-06-24
Re: Bus Crash Kills 22 Children On Ski Holiday
Pedro Silva Wed Mar 14, 2012 1:55 pm
This is terrible, poor innocents who doesn´t deserve this.
May their souls rest in peace.
May their souls rest in peace.
Pedro Silva- Slayer of scums
- Join date : 2011-06-26
Re: Bus Crash Kills 22 Children On Ski Holiday
Rose Wed Mar 14, 2012 1:58 pm
What on earth happened to cause this terrible accident. Both drivers are dead...
Rose- Slayer of scums
- Join date : 2011-09-23
Re: Bus Crash Kills 22 Children On Ski Holiday
bb1 Wed Mar 14, 2012 2:06 pm
Could be mechanical failure, driver error, anything, Rose. What's so awful is that children from the UK and Europe go off on these coach trips every year, and almost every year without fail there is a tragedy like this.
bb1- Slayer of scums
- Location : watcher on the wall
Join date : 2011-06-24
Re: Bus Crash Kills 22 Children On Ski Holiday
Pedro Silva Wed Mar 14, 2012 2:22 pm
It is sad but true bb1, that´s a good question Rose.
Pedro Silva- Slayer of scums
- Join date : 2011-06-26
Re: Bus Crash Kills 22 Children On Ski Holiday
lily Thu Mar 15, 2012 7:04 am
Oh no. That is so terribly sad. What a tragedy for all concerned. 
lily- Slayer of scums
- Join date : 2011-06-24
Similar topics» New York train crash kills seven
» 2 year old boy kills mother with gun in Walmart
» Fire Kills 13 Toddlers In Doha Shopping Mall
» 2 year old boy kills mother with gun in Walmart
» Fire Kills 13 Toddlers In Doha Shopping Mall
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum|
|
|
» help Liam Scott
» WE STILL HOPE' Madeleine McCann parents vow to keep searching for their daughter in emotional Christmas message
» Candles site
» Madeleine McCann's parents urge holidaymakers to take posters abroad with them this summer in bid to find their daughter
» Madeleine McCann investigation gets more funding
» new suspect in Madeleine McCann
» NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
» SUN, STAR: 'Cristovao goes on trial' - organised home invasions, etc