School bus carrying over 30 Essex schoolchildren crashes in Belgium

A coach carrying 34 Essex schoolchildren has crashed in Belgium, leaving one person dead and six in hospital

School bus carrying over 30 Essex schoolchildren crashes in Belgium

by Kayleigh Dray |
Published on

According to eyewitnesses, the coach crashed into a motorway bridge pillar on the A18 (E40) at Middelkerke, West Flanders.

The bus, carrying schoolchildren aged between 11 and 13-years-old, then overturned.

James ‘Geordie’ Chance, the driver and a grandfather-of-five, was killed in the coach crash.

A second driver, Stephen Cardwell, is in a stable condition in hospital.

A 13-year-old schoolboy from Brentwood School is in intensive care following the crash, after suffering a head injury.

It has also been reported that three pupils and two teachers were also treated in hospital.

Ian Davies, Brentwood School's head teacher said: "All of the children managed to walk off the coach.

"One of the children subsequently had a head injury. He had a scan and they found a small brain bleed as part of his fractured skull."

The majority of the pupils travelled back to the UK late on Sunday night on a coach arranged by the school.

"The coach returning the remaining pupils and staff has just arrived at school safely," tweeted Mr Davies.

"Thoughts and prayers still with two pupils in hospital," he added.

Meanwhile a spokesperson for Richmond Coaches, the company who provided the bus, described what had happened as “a tragedy” and said that they were co-operating with the authorities.

In a statement, they said: "Richmond Coaches confirms that one of its drivers sadly lost his life in today's crash in Belgium.

"The two drivers in their mid-fifties were James Chance and Stephen Cardwell. Mr Cardwell remains in hospital with his condition described as stable.

"Richmond Coaches were devastated to hear of the death of their second driver, Mr Chance who was sitting in the courier seat at the time of the crash. Mr Chance's family have been informed of his death."

They added that the company’s thoughts were with everyone involved.

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