Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Image
Replacement bus returns 50 kids to Strabrecht College in Geldorp after they were involved in a bus accident in France early that morning, 1 June 2017
Replacement bus returns 50 kids to Strabrecht College in Geldorp after they were involved in a bus accident in France early that morning, 1 June 2017 - Credit: Photo: @StrabrechtColl / Twitter
Bourbourg
France
A6
bus accident
traffic accident
Strabrecht College
Geldorp
Hans Abels
Friday, 2 June 2017 - 08:15
Share this:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • reddit

Dutch kids back home after bus accident in France; 4 teachers still in hospital

All 50 Dutch kids involved in a bus accident on the A6 in northern France on Thursday morning, are back home. They arrived at the Strabrecht College in Geldorp around 8:30 p.m. Four teachers are still in the hospital, three for observation. The critically injured bus driver is also still hospitalized, NOS reports.

Before heading home, the kids and their parents first gathered in the school's aula. It was an emotional meeting, department director at the school Hans Abels said to NOS. "You can imagine that if you get a message 'something is wrong with your child' at 4:30 in the morning, and you have to wait until 20:30 before you can put your arms around your child again, then there will definitely be tears."

After the shock of the bus accident, 16 students refused to return home with the replacement bus sent for them. Parents drove to Bourbourg to pick them up. The bus and the parents' cars were escorted to the French-Belgian border by the French police. "That was the choice of the children, and we respect that of course", Abels said. "We especially want to do justice to all the emotions currently playing. Of course we also understand the parents' concerns."

The teachers were sitting in the front of the bus when it hit a truck early on Thursday morning. They and the bus driver sustained the worst of the injuries. According to Abels, the teachers' injuries especially affected the students, who are all around the age of 15 years old. "They saw that their teachers were trapped and injured. They did not know how they were doing. That made an enormous impression", he said to the broadcaster. After the accident, the students helped each other and their teachers out of the bus.

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • Some Dutch cities not flying Syrian flags for earthquake victims at refugees' request
  • Van Gogh Museum kicks off 50th anniversary year with family exhibition
  • Three Dutch people reportedly among those killed in Turkey-Syria earthquakes
  • History of Indonesia in colonial era deserves a prominent place in Dutch education
  • Dutch consumers hunting down more cheap nearly-expired groceries and factory rejects
  • Eneco will sign fixed energy price contracts for the first time since 2021

Top stories

  • Three Dutch people reportedly among those killed in Turkey-Syria earthquakes
  • Putin played an active role in conflict around MH17 downing; No new suspects prosecuted
  • 42% of secondary school teachers witnessed anti-Semitism in class
  • 40% of home buyers end 2022 were first-time buyers
  • Dutch team rescues 6 people from rubble in Turkey; Death toll climbs to 8,100
  • Rutte tells Erdogan the Dutch can offer more help; Dutch donate millions in relief aid

© 2012-2023, NL Times, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Partner content