Buggenhout Minibus Crash Kills Four, Including Two Children, at Level Crossing
A train collided with a school minibus in Buggenhout, Belgium, resulting in the deaths of two children and two adults. The crash happened shortly after 08:00 local time (06:00 GMT), involving a bus transporting seven pupils, a driver, and a chaperone to a special education school.
Belgian mobility minister Jean-Luc Crucke confirmed that the barriers on the level crossing were down when the collision occurred. Federal police spokeswoman An Berger stated that the minibus driver had turned left onto the crossing from a parallel street while the barrier was already lowered, directly into the path of an oncoming train.
Images from Buggenhout, a town near Aalst, depicted the minibus overturned at the scene. No injuries were reported among those on the train, though one individual received treatment for shock.
Flemish education minister Zuhal Demir expressed condolences, as did European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who stated, "Today, Europe grieves with Belgium."
