Four killed as school minibus collides with train in Belgium

Two schoolchildren and two adults have been killed in a collision between a train and a school minibus in Buggenhout in Belgium.

“My first thoughts are with the victims,” said Belgian mobility minister Jean-Luc Crucke who confirmed reports that the barriers on a level crossing had been down when the crash happened.

The bus had been carrying seven children, a driver and a chaperone at the time of the collision.

“The bus was on its way to a special education school. It concerns mainly secondary school children,” said federal police spokeswoman An Berger, adding that the crash took place shortly after 08:00 local time (06:00 GMT).

Berger told Belgian TV that the minibus driver had been driving on a street parallel the railway and then turned left onto the level crossing while the barrier was already down.

At that point, a train was heading through Buggenhout and ran into the minibus, she explained.

Images from the scene showed the minibus lying on its side in Buggenhout, a small town near Aalst, to the north-west of the Belgian capital Brussels.

Nobody on the train was hurt although one person was being treated for shock, the police spokeswoman said.

“What heartbreaking news,” Flemish education minister Zuhal Demir posted on social media. “My thoughts are with all the victims, their families and everyone closely involved.”

“Today, Europe grieves with Belgium,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.